EU Charges TikTok Over Teen Privacy Violations and Algorithmic Exposure
European regulators have formally accused TikTok of failing to safeguard underage users, warning that the video platform’s default privacy settings and recommendation algorithms leave teenagers vulnerable to safety threats online.
In preliminary findings issued to the social media company, the European Commission declared that TikTok is in breach of child safety standards mandated by the Digital Services Act. If the charges are upheld, the platform faces potential financial penalties of up to six percent of its global annual revenue.
Under the landmark Digital Services Act, tech companies designated as large online platforms are legally obligated to maintain rigorous safety, security, and privacy safeguards for young users. EU authorities specifically targeted TikTok’s handling of accounts for 16- and 17-year-olds, noting that these profiles can be configured as public by default. Additionally, the platform’s recommendation engine actively pushes content created by older teenagers into the widespread For You feed, dramatically expanding their exposure.
Regulators emphasized that broad public visibility leaves minors exposed to significant dangers, including cyberbullying, predatory interactions, and unwanted contact from potential perpetrators. To bring the service into compliance, European officials instructed TikTok to alter its system defaults so that teenage accounts are visible exclusively to designated friends. The commission also called for an immediate end to promoting videos from minor accounts within recommendation streams.
TikTok has been granted an opportunity to submit a formal response to the preliminary findings before final regulatory decisions are made. The enforcement action marks the latest escalation in Europe’s broader push to hold major tech platforms accountable for user safety.
The proceeding follows earlier European Commission actions against TikTok regarding its platform design, including features like infinite scroll, push notifications, and autoplay, which regulators flagged for fostering addictive user habits. Beyond the bloc, external authorities have raised parallel concerns; the United Kingdom communications regulator Ofcom previously determined that TikTok’s safeguards were inadequate at preventing harmful material from reaching children.
