UK investigation to determine if TikTok fails to protect children from harmful content
Summary
The UK regulator Ofcom is investigating TikTok to see if it properly protects children from harmful content by checking their ages accurately. Ofcom is concerned that TikTok’s current methods might be letting many children see dangerous things online, and the investigation could lead to fines or other penalties.Key Facts
- Ofcom is formally investigating TikTok over concerns about protecting children from harmful content.
- TikTok uses age checks that involve users entering their birth date and technology that guesses age from other information.
- Ofcom worries these methods may fail to correctly identify many children, exposing them to harmful content like self-harm, suicide, and pornography.
- If TikTok is found not complying with the law, it could face fines up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.
- The UK government plans to introduce a social media ban for under-16s next year, increasing demands for effective age verification.
- Ofcom also doubts other platforms’ age-checking methods and suggests they switch to more reliable approaches.
- Research shows 1 in 10 teenagers aged 15-17 still use popular dating apps despite age checks.
- Ofcom found many pornography sites in the UK have no age checks, and search engines often link to these sites without restrictions.
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