Children and youth

UK Could Fine TikTok up to $29M over Child Privacy Issues

SEP 26 2022·Updated SEP 27 2022

Story

Image credit: Nurphoto/Getty Images [via CNBC]

The Facts

The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued China-based social media company TikTok a notice of intent - with a potential fine of $29M - regarding a "provisional view that TikTok breached UK data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020."
CNBC
The ICO alleged that TikTok had processed the data of children under 13 without parental consent, including special category data such as sexual orientation, religious beliefs, political beliefs, and information about ethnic or racial origin.
TechCrunch
The UK has the power to fine companies - under the General Data Protection Regulation or the Data Protection Act - $19M, or 4% of their global revenue. TikTok made roughly $4B last year and is set to triple that in 2022.
TechCrunch
The new child-specific data protection laws, known as the Children's Code, were put in place in September of last year, with Information Commissioner John Edwards saying they are currently investigating "how over 50 online services are conforming" to the code.
BBC News
Edwards also said, "We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world," with the ICO further stating that "no conclusion should be drawn at this stage that there has...been any breach of data protection law" by TikTok. The company has 30 days to respond.
CNBC
TikTok was also fined $5.7M by the US Federal Trade Commission in 2019 and by South Korea for similar reasons. The US Senate Commerce Committee last July voted to raise the age that children are given privacy protections to 16.
Daily Sun

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Though only provisional, this letter of intent is a sign that powerful tech companies can be held accountable through legislative means. With the Children's Code in place now for a year, the UK government has the opportunity to prove its commitment to protecting the safety and privacy of its youth through responsible regulation.

The Telegraph

Establishment-critical narrative

This attempt to regulate big tech could end up dying on the vine. Since this "provisional" investigation included no specific accusations, it could lead to nothing. The $29M fine is only what the company could potentially be fined and, after it provides its counter-argument, TikTok may walk away relatively unscathed. There may be very little to see here in the end.