European regulators have dealt a massive blow to TikTok, slapping the popular short video-sharing app with a staggering $368 million fine for failing to protect children’s privacy.
This landmark decision marks the first time that TikTok has faced such severe consequences for breaching Europe’s stringent data privacy rules.
NBC News reports that the fine was imposed by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, the lead privacy regulator for Big Tech companies in Europe. The Commission found TikTok guilty of multiple violations in the second half of 2020.
Default Public Settings and Child Safety
The investigation uncovered alarming issues with TikTok’s sign-up process for teenage users, which automatically set their accounts to public by default.
This meant anyone could view and comment on their videos, raising concerns about privacy and child safety.
Furthermore, the default settings posed a significant risk to children under 13 who managed to gain unauthorized access to the platform.
One of TikTok’s touted features, the “family pairing” option designed to empower parents to manage their children’s settings, proved insufficiently strict.
Adults could activate direct messaging for users aged 16 and 17 without their consent, and the system nudged teenage users toward more privacy-intrusive options during the onboarding process.
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TikTok’s Response
Unsurprisingly, TikTok has expressed its disagreement with the regulatory decision, particularly regarding the substantial fine imposed.
The company countered the criticism by emphasizing that many of the issues raised by regulators pertained to features and settings from three years ago.
TikTok claimed to have proactively addressed these concerns, making significant changes before the investigation officially began in September 2021.
Elaine Fox, TikTok’s head of privacy for Europe, defended the platform’s efforts in a blog post, stating, “Most of the decision’s criticisms are no longer relevant as a result of measures we introduced at the start of 2021 – several months before the investigation began.”
Regulatory Criticism
However, the Irish regulator has faced criticism for what some perceive as a slow investigative process.
This criticism intensified as German and Italian regulators disagreed with certain aspects of a draft decision issued a year ago, further delaying the resolution of TikTok’s case.
To address potential bottlenecks and ensure more efficient regulatory oversight, PBS tells us that the European Union has assigned the responsibility of enforcing new regulations to promote digital competition and clean up social media content at its Brussels headquarters.
Broader Impact on Big Tech
The TikTok case is part of a broader trend where major tech giants are facing significant fines and scrutiny from European regulators.
Instagram, WhatsApp, and their parent company, Meta, have also been hit with substantial fines by the Irish regulator over the past year, signaling a more assertive stance on data privacy and child protection in the digital age.
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