The British telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, to determine whether the popular platform is violating its obligations to protect children from harmful content.

The investigation is part of the implementation of the Online Safety Act, the new British law on online safety, which has been phased in since its passage in October 2023.

Ofcom decided to launch the investigation following an assessment that concluded TikTok “fails” to take adequate measures to protect minors, despite strong evidence showing that children are exposed to harmful content.

Meanwhile, another recent report has raised new concerns about minors’ exposure to inappropriate material through the platform.

Age verification systems are also at the center of the investigation, as Ofcom believes that the mechanisms used by TikTok may not accurately identify a significant proportion of underage users.

“The investigation will examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that TikTok is not complying or has failed to comply with its legal obligations,” the regulatory authority stated, clarifying, however, that the initiation of the proceedings does not mean that a violation has already been established.

Fines of up to 10% of global revenue
If violations are found, Ofcom has the authority to impose fines of up to 18 million pounds or 10% of the company’s global annual revenue.

At the same time, it can ask the courts to impose measures that would require third-party providers, such as internet service providers, to restrict or even block access to the platform.

TikTok’s
Response A TikTok spokesperson stated that the company enforces strict policies to protect minors, utilizing advanced age-estimation technologies and guidelines developed with the input of experts.

As noted, the company has invested billions of dollars in the platform’s safety since it launched in the United Kingdom eight years ago and expressed confidence that it is in full compliance with the requirements of the Online Safety Act, stating that it would cooperate with Ofcom during the investigation.

“The algorithms remain toxic”
The Molly Rose Foundation, established in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life after being exposed to harmful online content, welcomed the investigation.

The foundation’s CEO, Andy Barrows, stated that the investigation should not be limited to age verification alone, but should also examine “TikTok’s apparent failure to address its toxic algorithms and comply with child protection obligations.”

How Age
Verification Works Today, TikTok uses “age estimation” technology, which relies on user behavior—such as the videos they watch and their interactions on the platform—to estimate their age.

However, according to Ofcom’s director of research, Kate Davis, this method may not be accurate enough to reliably identify all underage users and trigger the necessary protective measures.

Ban Coming for Those Under 16
The investigation comes one month after the British government announced that it would ban the use of social media by children under 16.

The measure is expected to take effect in the spring of 2027 and will apply to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and X.

At the same time, it was announced that users aged 16 and 17 will have the option to enable a nighttime ban on social media use, as well as to disable the infinite scrolling feature (infinite scrolling), with the aim of limiting excessive use of the platforms.