UK could fine TikTok $29m over children’s privacy concerns

Washington
CNN Business
—

The UK said on Monday it could impose a multi-million dollar fine on TikTok after the government found the short-form video platform may have violated children’s privacy.

The potential fine of £27 million, or around $29 million, follows an investigation by Britain’s data privacy regulator, which found that over the two years from May 2018 to July 2020, TikTok may have broken UK law by processing children’s data. under 13 without parental consent.

In a legal document notifying TikTok of the possible fine, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office also said TikTok may have processed sensitive categories of data « without legal basis » and may have failed to provide information. to its users in a sufficiently transparent manner.

« We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with appropriate data privacy protections, » Information Commissioner John Edwards said in a statement. « Companies providing digital services have a legal obligation to put these protections in place, but our preliminary view is that TikTok has failed to meet this requirement. »

In a statement, TikTok said: « While we respect the ICO’s role in protecting privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to respond. officially to the ICO in due course. »

The ICO did not name the specific types of sensitive data that TikTok may have mishandled under UK law, but in general the country places higher obligations on data that reveals someone’s racial or ethnic origin. a person, their political opinions, their religious beliefs, their state of health, their sexual orientation and More.