TikTok has been hit with fresh preliminary charges by the European Commission over alleged failures to adequately protect children on its platform, exposing the ByteDance-owned social media company to a possible penalty of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if the findings are upheld, Reuters reported.
The Commission said its preliminary assessment found that TikTok’s account settings for minors do not meet the safety requirements laid down under the Digital Services Act (DSA). According to the regulator, children can choose to make their accounts public, allowing their content to be viewed by anyone and increasing the risk of cyberbullying or contact from potential abusers.
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The EU also said that even when a child’s account is set to private, it can still be located through the “following” and “followers” lists of other users, including by people who do not have a TikTok account. The Commission said minors’ public accounts should instead be configured so that their content is visible only to TikTok users they have approved.
TikTok said it would examine the Commission’s preliminary findings and continue engaging with the regulator. The company stated that teenage accounts include more than 50 built-in privacy and safety protections and that accounts belonging to users under 18 are private by default. It also said younger teenagers cannot use direct messaging or have their content recommended through the “For You” feed.
The company will now have an opportunity to review the Commission’s findings and submit its response before a final decision is issued. If the regulator confirms its preliminary view, TikTok could face a fine of up to 6% of its worldwide annual revenue.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the Digital Services Act requires platforms to build protections for children into the design of their services rather than leaving those safeguards as optional settings.
The latest action marks the fourth preliminary allegation against TikTok in the past two years under the DSA. The company previously offered concessions in two cases, while another investigation remains ongoing. Separately, the EU has also intensified scrutiny of online platforms’ impact on children and is expected to introduce further measures on protecting minors later this year.
First Published on July 24, 2026, 17:31:02 IST
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