EU Flags TikTok Privacy Risks, Warns of Possible 6% Revenue Fine

The European Commission on Friday accused TikTok of failing to adequately protect children's privacy on its platform, raising concerns that minors' accounts could be viewed by adults and potentially exposing young users to cyberbullying, unwanted contact and predatory behaviour.

The Commission's findings are part of a broader regulatory push by the European Union to hold major technology companies accountable for their digital practices. Brussels has emerged as one of the world's most active regulators of Big Tech, with companies including Meta, Apple and TikTok facing increased scrutiny over privacy, competition and online safety.

According to the Commission, TikTok's approach to protecting children's accounts did not sufficiently safeguard their privacy rights. The platform will now have an opportunity to respond to the preliminary findings and defend its practices before the Commission reaches a final decision.

If TikTok's response fails to satisfy regulators, the European Commission could issue a formal non-compliance decision. The company could potentially face a fine of up to 6% of its total annual revenue, underscoring the financial risks facing technology platforms that fail to meet the EU's stringent digital regulations.

The latest action adds to mounting regulatory pressure on TikTok in Europe. In February, the European Union found that the Chinese-owned platform had breached another aspect of its digital rules over the use of "addictive design" features.

The EU had raised concerns about features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, which regulators said could encourage excessive use and potentially harm the physical and mental health of users, particularly children and minors.

The Commission's latest findings signal that child safety and privacy remain key priorities in the EU's ongoing efforts to regulate social media platforms and strengthen protections for young users online.