# TikTok withdraws appeal against UK's £12.7M child safety fine Platform accepts penalty for failing to prevent under-13s' access between 2018-2020. - **Source:** [Technology | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/technology) - **Published:** 2026-09-24 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/6bc06ed9-04f9-4e4c-87af-d06e4d942487 ## Regulatory enforcement action The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) fined TikTok £12.7 million for failing to prevent 1.75 million under-13 users from accessing the platform in 2020. The penalty specifically addressed violations occurring between 2018-2020, when TikTok lacked adequate age verification systems. The ICO found the platform did 'very little' to address underage use, including failing to remove known underage accounts or obtain parental consent for data collection from minors. ## Platform's compliance stance TikTok maintains it disagrees with the ruling but chose to pay rather than prolong litigation. The company emphasizes it has since implemented 'many youth safety measures' beyond the 2018-2020 period in question. Notably, the platform also withdrew a separate appeal regarding ICO's investigation into how its algorithms process teen data and serve potentially harmful content, allowing that probe to resume. ## Systemic age verification failures The ICO's 2023 investigation revealed TikTok failed on three fronts: preventing under-13s from signing up, removing known underage accounts, and detecting such users proactively. These failures occurred despite the platform's stated 13+ age policy. Deputy Commissioner Emily Keaney framed the penalty as setting an important precedent for digital services' child protection obligations under UK data law. ## Broader regulatory context This case precedes the UK's upcoming under-16 social media ban taking effect next year. Communications regulator Ofcom warns tech platforms must improve age verification ahead of the new law. Australia's similar under-16 ban, implemented last December, shows enforcement challenges - many teens retained accounts or bypassed systems. The TikTok fine demonstrates regulators' growing focus on actual compliance versus policy claims. ## Data governance shortcomings Beyond age verification, the ICO cited TikTok's failure to properly inform users (including minors) about data collection practices. The platform didn't obtain required parental consent for processing children's personal data. These violations compound concerns about how social media platforms handle youth data, particularly regarding algorithmic content delivery systems that may expose minors to harmful material. ## Industry-wide implications The TikTok penalty establishes a benchmark for child protection enforcement in digital services. It signals regulators will scrutinize both technical safeguards and operational practices for preventing underage access. With the UK's stricter age limits approaching, platforms face pressure to implement more robust age verification that survives real-world attempts at circumvention by determined minors. ## Implementation challenges Effective age verification remains technically and operationally complex for platforms balancing user growth, privacy, and accessibility. The Australian experience shows even with bans, a 'substantial proportion' of underage users find workarounds. This creates tension between regulatory expectations and practical enforcement capabilities, especially for platforms with hundreds of millions of global users. ## Strategic compliance shift TikTok's decision to accept the fine rather than fight reflects a calculated compliance strategy amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of social media's impact on youth. The move allows the platform to focus on current safeguards while avoiding prolonged litigation over past practices. However, it sets a precedent that may influence future regulatory actions against digital platforms globally. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/24/tiktok-drops-appeal-over-fine-for-not-keeping-under-13s-off-platform — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._