Kurzvideo-Plattform: 25-Millionen-Euro-Strafe für TikTok in Brasilien wegen Daten von Minderjährigen

The Brazilian data protection authority has imposed a penalty of roughly 25.5 million euros on TikTok's operator ByteDance. The platform had processed personal data of children and teenagers without sufficient legal basis and failed to take adequate measures to prevent this, the ANPD revealed. The complaints concern both the use of the short video platform without registration and registered accounts.

In total, the authority identified five violations of Brazil's data protection law. Apart from the fine, ByteDance must delete unlawfully obtained data and implement a plan for better protection of children and teenagers. Stricter data settings should apply to users under 16 years old, parental control and protection from unsuitable content should be enhanced.

For use without registration, advertising and direct messages should be removed, and personalization of content should be limited. ByteDance has ten working days to contest the decision. TikTok is facing pressure over the protection of children and teenagers in other countries as well. The EU Commission has accused the platform of not providing adequate protection for minors against risks such as cyberbullying - in the US, TikTok recently agreed to a settlement of over 400 million dollars due to allegations of collecting children's data without parental consent.