The social network TikTok has been fined €345 million by the Irish Data Protection Commission after detecting deficiencies in protecting the data of minor users of the application during the second half of 2020.
According to a statement issued this Monday, TikTok violated its obligations under the EU General Data Protection Regulation by allowing its profiles to be accessible by default.
Likewise, the ‘family’ mode allowed an adult user, who did not have to be a parent or guardian, to interact with underage users through direct messages, which “involved possible severe risks towards minors.”
Additionally, TikTok did not provide “sufficient transparency information to minor users” and implemented “dark patterns” that “directed” them to select less privacy-friendly options during the app registration process or while posting videos. . deos.
In this way, the agency has sanctioned the company with 345 million euros, a reprimand and an order for the social network to align its data processing with current legal requirements within a period of three months.
However, TikTok has responded with a press release in which it assures that the investigation is based on privacy measures from three years ago, in reference to the fact that the fine has been determined according to the data processing carried out between July 31 and December 31, 2020.
Since then, TikTok says, the accounts of those between 13 and 15 years old are private by default and, in addition, the company’s privacy policy has been “made easier to understand.” For all these reasons, the firm has stated that it “respectfully disagrees” with the measures adopted by the Irish body.
