What are the specific child safety risks highlighted by the EU against TikTok?

Question

Accepted Answer

EU Accuses TikTok of Failing to Protect Minors Due to Inadequate Account Settings

The European Union has accused TikTok of failing to adequately protect children, citing account settings that expose minors to risks such as cyberbullying and predatory behaviour. The EU's preliminary view, based on an investigation initiated in 2024 under the Digital Services Act (DSA), found that TikTok's default settings do not provide the strongest safety and security protections mandated for children's accounts. This alleged failure places TikTok at risk of significant fines if confirmed.
Exposure of Minors' Content and Accounts

The EU's investigation revealed that TikTok's account settings allow minors' content and accounts to be exposed too widely. Specifically, children aged 13 and over, who are permitted to use the platform, can make their accounts public. This setting means their content is visible to anyone, regardless of whether they have a TikTok account.
Vulnerabilities Even with Private Accounts

Even when children opt to make their accounts private, the EU found that these accounts can still be "easily found" through other users' "following" and "followers" lists. This persistent discoverability means that TikTok's settings continue to expose minors to potential dangers, including unwanted contact, cyberbullying, and predatory behaviour.
Non-Compliance with Digital Services Act Standards

Under the DSA, children's account settings are required to have the strongest safety and security protections by default, not as an optional feature. The EU's preliminary assessment is that TikTok's current account settings fail to meet this standard. Brussels has consequently instructed TikTok to adjust the default settings for minors' public accounts, ensuring they are only visible to users whom the child has explicitly accepted.
TikTok's Response to the Accusations

In response to the EU's findings, a TikTok spokesperson stated that teen accounts are equipped with over 50 preset privacy and safety features and that accounts for users under 18 are private by default. The spokesperson indicated that TikTok will review the preliminary findings and continue to engage constructively with the EU.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What are the specific child safety risks highlighted by the EU against TikTok?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends