TikTok account settings fail to keep children safe, EU probe finds

BRUSSELS - The video-sharing platform TikTok risks a hefty fine after preliminary findings by the European Union (EU) show that children’s accounts do not comply with EU child-safety standards, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

TikTok allows children to have public profiles which means that users without a TikTok account can see their content, the European Commission said in a statement published on Friday.

"This exposure could result in unwanted contact from potential perpetrators and a risk that content can be used for cyberbullying," it said.

The commission also criticised the platform for recommending content posted by 16- and 17-year-olds to other users through its algorithm and for making private accounts easily discoverable.

The commission said that TikTok's account settings violate the strict safety standards for accounts of children under the EU's Digital Services Act "as they expose minors' accounts and content too widely".

TikTok can now submit a written response to the commission's allegations. If the commission ultimately concludes that the platform has breached EU law, it could impose a fine of up to 6 per cent of the company's global annual turnover. - BERNAMA