TikTok is failing to do enough to protect minors, the European Commission said on Friday, following a preliminary investigation into the Chinese-owned social media platform.
The Commission found that TikTok allows children to make their profiles public, meaning their content can be viewed by anyone, including people without a TikTok account.
It also criticised the platform for recommending posts from users aged 16 and 17 to all users through its algorithm, saying this increases the risk of unwanted contact from strangers, cyberbullying and other forms of online abuse.
The Commission warned that, because content can remain online indefinitely, these practices could have long-term consequences for young users.
Even when minors choose to make their accounts private, their profiles can still be easily found through followers' lists on other accounts, while profile pictures remain visible to everyone.
The Commission concluded that TikTok is failing to adequately protect the privacy and safety of minors, in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires large online platforms to take measures to protect users.
It said TikTok should make minors' profiles visible only to approved followers by default. For users aged 16 and 17, the option to share content more widely should remain available, but only with people who have a TikTok account.
TikTok now has the opportunity to respond to the Commission's preliminary findings. If the company is ultimately found to have breached the DSA, it could face fines of up to 6% of its annual global turnover.
