UK opens TikTok child safety probe over age checks

Ofcom has opened an investigation into TikTok over whether the platform is doing enough to protect children from harmful content under the Online Safety Act 2023.

The UK communications regulator is examining whether TikTok has failed, or is failing, to comply with Section 12 of the law, which covers the mitigation and management of risks of harm to children online. That includes whether platforms are effectively stopping children from encountering harmful content and whether they use robust age verification or age estimation systems.

A separate Ofcom report also raises doubts about TikTok’s age inference system, which estimates a user’s age from their behavior on the app instead of requiring formal documentation. Ofcom said it has already ruled out age inference as a highly effective approach for porn sites and other services that should not host children, because the system needs time to observe behavior before making a judgment.

TikTok updated its age verification rules at the start of 2026, reinforcing its policy of keeping children under 13 off the platform. New users must enter their birthdate, and those who fail the minimum age check are blocked from immediately trying again with a different age. TikTok says it also uses “multiple checks,” including age inference, profile information and published videos, with suspicious accounts reviewed by a moderator. The company says a European pilot removed thousands of underage accounts.

“We strictly enforce age-appropriate experiences through expert-informed platform rules and advanced age inference technologies, in line with major industry peers. In the eight years since TikTok launched in the UK, we have invested billions in platform safety. We are confident that we meet our Online Safety Act obligations and will work with Ofcom to demonstrate this.”

Ofcom said it has not reached any conclusions. But breaches can lead to fines of up to £18 million (around $24 million) or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater. In more serious cases, courts can order third parties such as advertisers to take action that disrupts a provider’s business.

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The probe follows broader pressure from Ofcom on social platforms. In May, Meta, Snap and Roblox agreed to stronger anti-grooming measures in the UK, while TikTok and YouTube did not commit to what the regulator called any significant changes. The UK also intends to ban children under 16 from using apps including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X starting next year.