The EU claims that TikTok still insufficiently protects minors

Serious complaints about privacy settings

The European Commission notified TikTok of its preliminary findings this week, stating that the platform’s rules for minor accounts do not meet the security standards required by the Digital Services Act (DSA). The main objection refers to the fact that minors can set their accounts as “public”, meaning their content becomes visible to anyone on TikTok, even to people who don’t have their own account. Such practice, in the Commission’s opinion, directly threatens the safety of children on the Internet.

Additional concern is caused by TikTok’s algorithm, which recommends content from the accounts of users aged 16 and 17 through its “For You” page. In this way, according to the EC, minors can be exposed to “unwanted contact of potential criminals”, internet abuse or predatory behavior. The announcement emphasizes that “platforms accessible to minors must ensure a high level of privacy, security and protection in their services”, adding that TikTok’s current settings “do not meet this standard because they expose too much the accounts and content of minors”.

Recommendations of the Commission and possible punishment

In order to solve this problem, the European Commission recommended that TikTok adjust the default settings of accounts belonging to minors so that they are visible only to friends, that is, to approved followers. In order to further enforce the Digital Services Act, the Commission advised TikTok to stop recommending content from underage accounts on the “For You” page. Although TikTok has the opportunity to respond to these findings, in case of non-compliance, the Commission can impose a new fine that can reach up to six percent of the company’s total annual revenue.

This is not the first time that TikTok has faced accusations from the European Commission. Earlier this year, the platform was accused of using “addictive design” features, such as infinite scroll, autoplay and push notifications. These proceedings are part of a wider investigation launched in February 2024, which also deals with the transparency of advertising on the platform.

Global pressure on tech giants

Concerns about the safety of children on TikTok are not limited to the European Union. Ofcom, one of the regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom, has also expressed criticism, stating that TikTok is not effective enough in preventing harmful content from reaching children. These moves reflect the global trend of tightening the regulation of social media with the aim of protecting the youngest users.

Governments around the world are taking concrete steps. France recently passed a law banning children under the age of 15 from using social media, while the United Kingdom introduced strict age-verification requirements for accessing harmful content with its Online Safety Act. Similar legal initiatives requiring age verification and parental consent for minors on social networks are also emerging in the United States and Australia, signaling the end of an era of self-regulation for large technology companies.