Ofcom Probes TikTok Age Checks for Under-16 Safety as UK Tightens Child Protection Rules
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 16
Ofcom Probes TikTok Age Checks for Under-16 Safety as UK Tightens Child Protection Rules
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 16
Summary
Ofcom opened an investigation into whether TikTok can reliably identify child users and stop them seeing harmful content, escalating scrutiny of one of the UK's biggest social media platforms.
The probe centers on TikTok's use of age-inference technology, which estimates a user's age from behavior on the app; Ofcom said it has serious doubts that method is "highly effective" enough under the Online Safety Act.
The action follows a May review that said TikTok was not safe enough for children and comes a month after the UK government announced plans to ban under-16s from a range of platforms.
TikTok said it meets its legal obligations, has invested billions in online safety over eight years in the UK, and already defaults users into under-18 experiences unless they are understood to be adults.
The case broadens Ofcom's child-safety clampdown from adult sites—where dozens have already faced fines or enforcement over age checks—to mainstream social media services.