EU accuses TikTok of exposing children to cyberbullying, predatory behaviour; may face heavy fine
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "EU accuses TikTok of exposing children to cyberbullying, predatory behaviour; may face heavy fine")
This illustration photograph shows the logo of the social media and short-form video plaform Tik Tok displayed on a smartphone in Mulhouse, eastern France on February 11, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
The European Union accused TikTok of failing to protect children from online risks adequately and warned that the platform could face a heavy fine if the findings are confirmed.
The European Union on Friday (July 24) accused TikTok of failing to adequately protect children, warning that its account settings could expose minors to risks such as cyberbullying and predatory behaviour. The EU said children's accounts should only be visible to people they have approved. Children aged 13 and above can currently use TikTok.
"A high level of protection should not be an opt-in; it should be the default," EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement.
The EU launched its investigation into Chinese-owned TikTok in 2024 under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The law requires platforms to provide the strongest safety and security protections by default for children's accounts.
EU raises concerns over TikTok settings
The EU said TikTok's current settings do not meet the required safety standards because they allow minors' accounts and content to remain widely accessible.
The investigation found that children can make their accounts public, allowing anyone, including people without a TikTok account, to view their content.
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Even if minors switch their accounts to private, other users can still "easily find" them through their "following" and "followers" lists, the EU said.
Brussels has asked TikTok to change the default settings for minors with public accounts. Under the proposed changes, their content should only be visible to users they have accepted.
The EU has stepped up its efforts to protect children online. New rules expected later this year will ban children under 13 from using social media.
TikTok responds to EU findings
TikTok said it remains committed to protecting minors on its platform. A spokesperson said teen accounts have more than 50 preset privacy and safety features and stressed that accounts belonging to users under 18 are private by default.
"We will review these preliminary findings as we continue to engage constructively" with the EU, the spokesperson added.
The EU's latest findings are preliminary. If the bloc confirms its concerns, TikTok could face a fine of up to six per cent of its total worldwide annual turnover.
The 27-nation bloc has already taken action against TikTok over its design. In February, Brussels ordered the platform to change its addictive design or face heavy fines.
Meta has also faced similar scrutiny. Two weeks ago, the EU told the tech company to change addictive design features, including infinite scrolling.
The EU is also preparing to roll out an age verification app across the bloc. The system aims to ensure that platforms check users' ages before allowing them to access social media platforms.
