TikTok Probed by Ofcom Over Age Checks—Kids Exposed to Harm
In Brief
- Ofcom opened a formal investigation into TikTok over child-safety failures, The Guardian reports.
- TikTok’s age-verification may have missed a significant share of children, with fines up to £18m or 10% of global revenue.
- The UK is preparing an under-16s social media ban to take effect early next year.
Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into TikTok over child-safety failures. The UK regulator is examining whether the app’s age-verification missed a significant proportion of children, The Guardian reports.
The probe runs under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom says it will establish whether there are “reasonable grounds” to believe TikTok failed its legal duties on child protection, including by using age assurance that fails to reliably flag minors, POLITICO reports. Penalties can reach £18m or 10% of global revenue.
Ofcom has “serious doubts” about TikTok’s ability to identify under-18s, and the case arrives as the UK prepares an under-16s social-media ban early next year, Deadline reports. TikTok is the third most-used app among UK 8- to 14-year-olds.
The scrutiny fits a broader tightening on minors and platforms. Japan is weighing social-media age limits after Australia and the UK, and the US Senate voted to ban AI companions for minors, with roughly 70% of kids already using them.
Ofcom’s Child-Safety Probe
TikTok says it uses “signals” — behavioral and technical indicators — to check whether someone meets its minimum age, and that it enforces age gates and restricted experiences for younger users. Ofcom’s doubt centers on whether those signals are “highly effective” at correctly determining a child, as the law requires.
The investigation covers both age assurance and the wider children’s experience, including how the platform handles self-harm and suicide content. Ofcom can impose fines and, in serious cases, require changes to how the service operates in the UK.
UK Weighs Under-16s Ban
The bigger shift is legislative. A national under-16s ban would go further than age-assurance fixes, blocking younger teens from holding accounts at all. Platforms are bracing for a compliance regime that treats under-16 access as off-limits by default.
For TikTok, the stakes are reach. UK teens are a core audience, and a ban would remove a large chunk of users while setting a template other countries could copy. The company says it is cooperating with the regulator.
FAQ
Why is Ofcom investigating TikTok?
Ofcom is examining whether TikTok failed its child-safety legal duties, including by using age verification that missed a significant share of children.
What penalties could TikTok face?
Fines of up to £18m or 10% of global revenue, plus possible orders to change how the service operates in the UK.
What is the UK under-16s ban?
A planned national rule, expected early next year, that would bar under-16s from holding social-media accounts.
Is TikTok the only platform targeted?
No. Japan and Australia are moving on age limits, and the US Senate voted to bar AI companions for minors, signaling a wider crackdown. Ofcom opened the TikTok investigation on July 16, 2026.
