The European Commission notes that TikTok allows children to create public profiles, which means that content they post can be viewed by users who do not have a TikTok account.
“This situation could lead to unwanted contact from potential predators and create a risk that the published content could be used for cyberbullying,” the Latvian news portal Delfi.lv quotes the European Commission as saying.
The Commission also criticized the platform for using its algorithm to recommend content posted by 16- and 17-year-olds to other users, as well as for making private accounts easy to find.
The EC explains that TikTok’s account settings violate the strict safety requirements established for children’s accounts under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The European Commission launched an investigation into TikTok in 2024. If the identified violations are confirmed during the investigation, the European Commission may impose a fine on TikTok of up to 6% of the company’s total annual global revenue.
