TikTok has been fined £12.7 million ($15.9 million) by the UK's data regulator for violating data protection laws, including the misuse of children's personal information.
The Information Commissioner's Office revealed that TikTok allowed over 1 million UK children under 13 to use its platform in 2020, despite its own rules prohibiting their use. The regulator also accused TikTok of failing to verify users' ages, not removing underage children, and not providing sufficient information on data collection and usage.
The fine applies to breaches that occurred between May 2018 and July 2020. TikTok disputed the decision and said that it invests heavily in keeping under-13s off the platform.
The UK fine comes amid similar bans by Western countries, including Australia, the US, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, citing security concerns.