EU says TikTok hasn’t done enough to ensure minors’ safety
The European Commission has preliminarily found that TikTok is not doing enough to protect minors’ privacy and safety under the EU’s Digital Services Act. It says young users’ accounts and content can be exposed too widely, potentially increasing risks including unwanted contact, cyberbullying and predatory behaviour.
The Commission highlighted that minors can make accounts public and that content from 16- and 17-year-olds may be recommended through TikTok’s For You feed. It has recommended defaulting minors’ accounts to friends-only visibility and stopping such recommendations; TikTok can respond, but could ultimately face a fine of up to 6% of its annual global revenue.
- EU says TikTok’s safeguards for minors fall short.
- Public accounts may expose young users to harm.
- TikTok could face a fine worth 6% of revenue.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The EU’s case is that platforms used extensively by children have a heightened duty to design their services around minors’ safety, rather than relying on young users or parents to manage complex risks alone. If TikTok has not adequately assessed and reduced harms such as inappropriate content, compulsive use, contact from adults or ineffective age assurance, regulatory intervention and potentially substantial penalties may be necessary to make those obligations meaningful. This view prioritises child welfare, accountability and prevention before avoidable harm occurs.
The case against
TikTok’s strongest case is that safety obligations should be applied through clear, proportionate and evidence-based standards, especially where age verification and content moderation involve difficult trade-offs over privacy, accuracy and freedom of expression. The company may argue that it has invested heavily in parental controls, restricted features for younger users and moderation systems, and that no large platform can eliminate every risk. This view prioritises fair process, workable regulation and avoiding penalties that punish imperfect implementation rather than demonstrable neglect.