Rome, 16 July (LaPresse) – TikTok is under investigation in the UK over alleged failings in protecting children from harmful content. The announcement was made by Ofcom, the UK regulator responsible for overseeing communications services and online platforms, as reported by The Guardian. At the heart of the investigation is the system used by the platform to verify users’ ages, which, according to Ofcom, is a cause for “particular concern”. The investigation comes almost a year after the Online Safety Act came into force, the legislation that requires digital platforms to take effective measures to protect children from the most harmful content. According to the regulator, TikTok relies on an age-estimation system that may not be able to correctly identify a significant number of underage users, thereby exposing them to inappropriate content, particularly that relating to eating disorders, self-harm, suicide and pornography. Ofcom states that it has not yet reached any definitive conclusions, but points out that any breach of the regulations could result in fines of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of the company’s global turnover, whichever is higher. In the most serious cases, the regulator may also request that access to the service be blocked or restricted in the UK.
United Kingdom: TikTok under investigation over user age verification
Rome, 16 July (LaPresse) – TikTok is under investigation in the UK over alleged failings in protecting children from harmful content. The announcement was made by Ofcom, the UK regulator responsible for overseeing communications services and online platforms, as reported by The Guardian. At the heart of the investigation is the system used by the platform to verify users’ ages, which, according to Ofcom, is a cause for “particular concern”. The investigation comes almost a year after the Online Safety Act came into force, the legislation that requires digital platforms to take effective measures to protect children from the most harmful content. According to the regulator, TikTok relies on an age-estimation system that may not be able to correctly identify a significant number of underage users, thereby exposing them to inappropriate content, particularly that relating to eating disorders, self-harm, suicide and pornography. Ofcom states that it has not yet reached any definitive conclusions, but points out that any breach of the regulations could result in fines of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of the company’s global turnover, whichever is higher. In the most serious cases, the regulator may also request that access to the service be blocked or restricted in the UK.
