TikTok has announced plans to tighten its age verification measures across Europe, rolling out enhanced technology to better identify and prevent minors from using the platform.
Under new measures, TikTok's systems will assess a user's likely age based on their profile information and activity. If the platform detects an account belonging to someone under 13, a specialist moderator will review the case to determine whether it should be banned. Users in Europe will receive notifications explaining these measures and be given the opportunity to learn more.
The platform also allows users to report accounts that they suspect may belong to underage individuals, who can then be flagged for further review by moderators or specialists.
TikTok has stated that it removes approximately 6 million underage accounts from its platform every month. The company acknowledges that there is no single ideal solution to verifying age and preserving user privacy.
These measures are part of a pilot program launched last year in Europe, which helped the platform identify and remove thousands more underage accounts. TikTok worked with data protection regulators to ensure compliance with EU data protection standards.
As social media bans for under 16s become increasingly common, such as in Australia, where a ban went into effect last month, other platforms are taking similar steps. Reddit has even filed a lawsuit against its own proposed ban.
In the UK, there is growing public pressure and cross-party support for an under-16 social media ban, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer stating that "all options" are on the table. The House of Lords will vote next week on proposals for such a ban, with a binding vote potentially looming in the coming months.
Under new measures, TikTok's systems will assess a user's likely age based on their profile information and activity. If the platform detects an account belonging to someone under 13, a specialist moderator will review the case to determine whether it should be banned. Users in Europe will receive notifications explaining these measures and be given the opportunity to learn more.
The platform also allows users to report accounts that they suspect may belong to underage individuals, who can then be flagged for further review by moderators or specialists.
TikTok has stated that it removes approximately 6 million underage accounts from its platform every month. The company acknowledges that there is no single ideal solution to verifying age and preserving user privacy.
These measures are part of a pilot program launched last year in Europe, which helped the platform identify and remove thousands more underage accounts. TikTok worked with data protection regulators to ensure compliance with EU data protection standards.
As social media bans for under 16s become increasingly common, such as in Australia, where a ban went into effect last month, other platforms are taking similar steps. Reddit has even filed a lawsuit against its own proposed ban.
In the UK, there is growing public pressure and cross-party support for an under-16 social media ban, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer stating that "all options" are on the table. The House of Lords will vote next week on proposals for such a ban, with a binding vote potentially looming in the coming months.
just saw this news and I'm like 
how can social media apps be so chill about minors using them? 
I mean, TikTok's already removing 6 million underage accounts monthly, but it seems like more needs to be done 
. 
, but shouldn't there be a stricter system in place? 
Like, don't get me wrong, I love TikTok and all, but I'm just concerned about those little ones getting caught up in the online world 
. 
! Australia's already got it, and now the UK's getting close 
. Maybe we'll see other countries follow suit too? 
TikTok's new age verification measures are low-key awesome 
I mean, 6 million underage accounts get removed every month is a big deal 
and now it's rolling out across Europe 
. But, let's be real, there's no one-size-fits-all solution 
to verifying age without messing with user privacy 
, but we gotta make sure we're not overstepping our bounds 
. The UK's growing pressure for a social media ban is, like, understandable 
. Reddit's lawsuit against its own proposed ban is, tho, a whole other story 
I mean, come on, it's about time TikTok got its act together and started taking this whole underage thing seriously! 
The platform needs to be more proactive in identifying and removing minors before they get into trouble. Those 6 million accounts they remove every month don't exactly fill me with confidence that they're doing enough.
The fact that they're working with data protection regulators is a good start, but we need to see more concrete action. It's like, what's the point of having these measures if they're just gonna sit on them? 
Reddit filing a lawsuit against its own proposed ban is pretty funny, though 
. But seriously, it's about time we start treating online safety like the big deal it is. 
so fingers crossed that these new measures do the trick and help prevent any major issues 
, but sometimes it feels like one step forward is two steps back... australia just banned under 16s on tiktok, reddit's fighting against its own ban and now the uk's getting pressure for a similar ban 
. What's to stop them from misidentifying legit users or unfairly targeting certain groups? And what about user privacy concerns - are we really sure our profile info and activity data isn't being mishandled? The more I think about it, the less I believe TikTok has got this one right 
.
. And what's with the notifications and reporting system? It just feels like an extra layer of stress for all us old folks 
. Anyway, I'm sure it's all necessary. We just gotta adapt to the times, right? 
but seriously tho its kinda cool that theyre working with EU regulators to make sure their system is legit and safe for users... or at least thats what they say 
australia's ban on under 16s social media is still a bit harsh though but i guess thats just the way its gonna go