EU Accuses TikTok of Child Safety Breaches and Fine Risk

2 Minutes

Imagine a digital playground where anyone can watch, comment and sometimes intrude without knocking. That is the image European regulators say TikTok’s design currently creates for underage users.

The European Commission has formally accused the short-video app owned by ByteDance of breaching the bloc’s online safety rules. Preliminary findings from regulators suggest that certain features on TikTok can expose children to serious harms such as cyberbullying and contact from potential abusers — issues the Digital Services Act was written to prevent.

At the heart of the complaint is account design. Regulators claim TikTok allows teenage profiles to be set public at sign-up, making their content visible and contactable by strangers. Even private accounts, the Commission argues, can be discovered through follower lists, meaning the platform’s default settings do not provide the privacy shields European authorities expect for minors.

Why does this matter? Because defaults shape behavior. Most users stick with what they are given. If a platform’s initial settings make a teen visible to unknown viewers, the risk of harassment or unwanted contact rises — fast.

TikTok pushed back, saying it will cooperate and review the Commission’s findings. A company spokesperson pointed to more than 50 privacy and safety defaults for young accounts, saying accounts under 18 are private by default and that TikTok restricts direct messages and For You exposure for younger teens.

Still, this is the fourth legal action against TikTok in two years, according to Reuters. The stakes are high: under the Digital Services Act a final ruling could carry a fine up to 6% of the company’s global annual turnover. That’s not just a penalty; it’s a signal that regulators are increasingly willing to hold platforms accountable for product design choices that affect child safety.

Regulators are asking TikTok to change default settings for teen accounts so content is visible only to approved followers. TikTok now has the opportunity to review the Commission’s dossier and submit its defenses before any final decision.

Design decisions are often invisible to everyday users, but their consequences can be profound. As the case advances, the question looming over social apps is simple: will the platforms adapt or will the law force them to?