UK watchdog investigates TikTok and Reddit over child data privacy concerns
ICO looking at what data is used to serve up recommendations
The UK's data protection watchdog has launched three investigations into certain social media platforms following concerns about the protection of privacy among teenage users.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it has begun reviews into how TikTok, Reddit and image sharing platform Imgur protect the privacy of youger users.
It said TikTok uses personal information belonging to people between the age of 13 and 17 to make recommendations and serve new content, which could lead to young people being served inappropriate or harmful material.
John Edwards, Information Commissioner, said: "My message is simple. If social media and video sharing platforms want to benefit from operating in the UK they must comply with data protection law.
"The responsibility to keep children safe online lies firmly at the door of the companies offering these services and my office is steadfast in its commitment to hold them to account," he said.
The ICO is also looking into data use at Imgur and Reddit to find out how they use children's personal information and look at age assurance measures.
At this stage, the ICO said it was investigating whether there had been any infringements of data protection legislation. If there is sufficient evidence of any legal breach, the ICO said it would get representations from the companies concerned before reaching a final conclusion.
The move reflects growing concerns around access to social media platforms by children and young people. An ICO survey found 42 percent of British parents felt they had little or no control over the information social media and video sharing platforms collected about their children.
Around a quarter said they had stopped their children using particular platforms and channels owing to those concerns, according to the survey of 500 individuals.
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In April last year, communications regulator Ofcom found nearly a quarter of children between the ages of five and seven use social media unsupervised. In its annual study of children's relationships with the media and online worlds, the UK telecoms regulator, said infant schoolchildren are increasingly online and given more digital independence by parents.
Politicians have been considering social media bans for under-16s, but recent reports suggest it is not in the government's plans.
Politicos in Australia banned use of some social media platforms for under 16s in November. ®