Brazil fines TikTok owner $30 mn over minors’ safety

Brazil's data protection authority has imposed a heavy fine on TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, for allegedly mishandling the personal data of children and teenagers. The fine, amounting to more than 153 million reais (around $30 million), stems from concerns over the collection and processing of minors' information without proper legal justification or adequate safeguards.

The regulator maintains that the company failed to implement sufficient measures to protect the privacy of young users, both when they are logged in and when they browse the platform anonymously. ByteDance has the right to appeal the decision within a 10-day window.

It is worth noting that Brazil's regulatory body has not yet commented on the ruling. The decision also includes an order for TikTok to erase all illegally gathered data. Earlier this month, the same authority had recommended the suspension of live broadcasts on Discord following its association with a suicide case.

Brazil's government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Supreme Court have been striving to regulate internet usage among minors, with varying degrees of success. Brazil is not alone in its efforts; countries like Australia, Canada, and Indonesia are also implementing similar measures. First lady Rosângela Lula da Silva, also known as Janja, called for the platform's shutdown in a statement on August 6, citing the case. She is a vocal critic of TikTok's child and teen protection measures.