Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has dealt TikTok a significant blow by imposing a hefty €345 million fine on the social media giant. This fine comes as a result of concerns about how TikTok handled children’s data in 2020, especially regarding age verification and privacy settings. It is the largest fine TikTok has faced from any regulatory body.
TikTok Responds to the Decision
In response to the DPC’s decision, TikTok issued a statement expressing its disagreement, particularly with the magnitude of the fine. TikTok’s spokesperson highlighted that the criticisms raised by the DPC pertain to features and settings that were already in place three years ago. TikTok claims to have made changes to address these issues well before the investigation began. One such change was setting all accounts of users under 16 to private by default.
The Data Protection Concerns
The DPC’s investigation found that TikTok had not been transparent enough in communicating its privacy settings to children. Furthermore, it raised questions about how TikTok processed children’s data. The key issue identified was that accounts created by individuals aged 13 to 17 were set to public by default upon registration, making the content they posted visible to anyone. The DPC considered this a violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) due to TikTok’s platform design.
TikTok has been given a three-month deadline to bring its data processing practices fully in line with GDPR regulations. This includes making sure that its platform complies with GDPR standards regarding data privacy.
Expert Opinion on the Decision
Professor Sonia Livingstone, an expert on children’s digital rights and experiences from the London School of Economics and Political Science, welcomed the DPC’s decision. She emphasized the importance of platforms explaining how they handle children’s data and treating that data fairly, as privacy is a fundamental right for children in the digital world.
Comparing TikTok’s Fine to Others
While TikTok’s €345 million fine is substantial, it is not the largest in recent memory. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, faced a €1.2 billion fine in May for mishandling data transfers between Europe and the United States. However, TikTok did receive a £12.7 million fine from the UK’s data watchdog in April for allowing children under 13 to use the platform in 2020. It’s worth noting that this fine specifically pertained to TikTok’s actions in 2020, and the platform has since taken steps to enhance its compliance with privacy regulations.
