UK probes TikTok over child safety and age checks

The UK regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into TikTok, focusing on whether the platform is doing enough to protect children from harmful content and keep underage users away from age-inappropriate material. The case centers on the Online Safety Act 2023, which requires major platforms to reduce risks to minors. If Ofcom finds violations, TikTok could face a fine of up to £18 million or 10% of its global revenue, whichever is higher.

Ofcom’s concern is not just what children might see on TikTok, but how the company determines a user’s age in the first place. The regulator is examining TikTok’s reliance on age inference — a system that estimates age based on in-app behavior, profile details, and uploaded videos. The problem, from Ofcom’s perspective, is straightforward: for that system to work, a child must first get onto the platform and spend some time there. That makes it look less like a meaningful barrier and more like an attempt to clean things up after access has already been granted.

The regulator has previously said this kind of approach does not count as “highly effective” age assurance for porn sites and other services where children should not be present at all.

TikTok tightened its age-checking rules in early 2026. During sign-up, users must enter their date of birth, and if the age entered falls below the minimum threshold, the system does not allow an immediate retry with a different date. The company also says it uses multiple checks, including profile analysis, video review, and manual moderation of suspicious accounts. According to TikTok, a European pilot has already led to the removal of thousands of accounts belonging to children under 13.

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Ofcom’s wider pressure on social platforms

The TikTok investigation is part of a broader push by Ofcom against platforms where children interact with strangers and receive algorithmically recommended content. In May, Meta, Snap, and Roblox agreed to tougher anti-grooming measures in the UK. TikTok and YouTube also received requests at the time, but Ofcom did not see meaningful concessions from either company.

TikTok says it operates at the level of the largest industry players and has invested billions of dollars in platform safety over its eight years in the UK. The company says it complies with British law and is ready to demonstrate that to Ofcom.

Still, the backdrop is awkward for TikTok. In 2023, Ireland’s regulator fined the company €345 million over violations related to the handling of children’s data.

Age verification debate keeps escalating

The broader market has been moving toward tougher age verification. Meta, for example, has been pushing Instagram teen accounts with tighter default restrictions, while many services are testing checks based on identity documents, bank cards, or selfie videos. For platforms, it is an uncomfortable trade-off: stricter verification adds friction at sign-up and risks shrinking the audience.

The political debate in the UK is heating up as well. The country is discussing a potential ban on social media use by children under 16 as soon as next year. Similar measures have been considered over the past two years in other countries, including Australia.

For TikTok, the outcome matters well beyond a possible fine. If Ofcom concludes that age inference does not amount to real protection, the company could be pushed toward a tougher access model based on documents or other direct age checks — turning the question from how many children use TikTok into how many users are willing to prove they are not children.