UK investigates TikTok for alleged age-verification lapses, exposing kids to online harms
The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, is investigating TikTok for failing to adequately verify users’ ages, potentially exposing children to harmful content. This investigation stems from concerns that TikTok’s age inference models are inaccurate and don’t meet the standards outlined in the UK’s Online Safety Act. The government is considering further restrictions, including a ban on social media for children under 16, and Ofcom will provide an analysis of effective age verification methods to Parliament.
The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, is investigating TikTok for alleged age-verification lapses, potentially exposing children to harmful content. Ofcom alleges that TikTok’s age inference models, which rely on analyzing users’ browsing habits and online interactions, may have ‘failed to correctly identify a significant proportion of children.’ This investigation is driven by the UK’s Online Safety Act, which requires social media companies to use ‘highly effective’ age verification methods, and TikTok’s reliance on age inference models is not listed as such. The government is considering further restrictions, including a ban on social media for children under 16, and Ofcom will provide an analysis of effective age verification methods to Parliament before Christmas. Under the Online Safety Act, companies violating the rules can be fined £18 million ($21 million) or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, and the British government can attempt to ban sites and platforms from operating in the country. The proposed legislation will apply to “user-to-user platforms” like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube and Snapchat if lawmakers approve it. TikTok has stated that it “strictly enforce[s] age-appropriate experiences through expert-informed platform rules and advanced age inference technologies.”