Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into TikTok over whether its age verification systems effectively prevent children from accessing the platform. The move marks a significant expansion of the regulator's online safety enforcement from pornography sites to mainstream social media.
The probe will examine how the video-sharing app determines whether a user is a child and whether its systems adequately block minors from harmful content. It follows a May review in which the regulator concluded TikTok was not safe enough for children, and arrives a month after under-16s were banned from a range of platforms.
At the center of the investigation is "age inference," a technology that estimates a user's age based on platform behavior such as videos watched and accounts interacted with. Instagram uses similar tools to estimate user age.
A regulator official stated that some age-check methods used by social media platforms are not working well enough. The official expressed serious doubts that inference tools meet the "highly effective" standard required to keep children away from harmful material.
TikTok disputes the allegations. A company spokesperson said the platform enforces age-appropriate experiences through expert-informed rules and advanced inference technologies, in line with major industry peers, and has invested billions in online safety since launching in the UK.
Since the Online Safety Act's child protection codes took effect last July, the regulator has issued large fines against dozens of adult sites. The TikTok investigation signals that social media platforms are next, with penalties severe enough that one major company is already challenging the fines methodology in court.
A charity representing the family of a teenager who died after viewing harmful content welcomed the investigation, criticizing TikTok for egregious failures to shield children from harmful material. The group urged regulators to also address the platform's algorithms and broader child safety duties.
A criminal lawyer and online safety expert said the Act has made headway in protecting children but warned the current enforcement regime may lack sufficient deterrent force. The expert called for severe penalties against services without appropriate age checks.
A youth banking executive noted that children are becoming online consumers earlier than previous generations. The executive said the legislation is vital to protecting minors from scams and other dangers, while emphasizing that parents should not have to choose between independence and safety for their children.
