EU says TikTok violates minors' privacy under DSA

The European Commission announced on Friday, July 24, 2026, that TikTok has failed to adequately protect the privacy of minors on its platform, marking a significant escalation in the bloc's regulatory scrutiny of the social media giant. The preliminary findings allege that TikTok's account settings for users under 18 allow their profiles to be easily found and viewed by adults, exposing children to risks including cyberbullying, unwanted contact, and predatory behavior.

According to the Commission, which serves as the EU's executive branch and tech enforcer, the platform's design falls short of safety standards mandated by the Digital Services Act (DSA). Officials stated that accounts for teenagers aged 13 to 15 can be easily switched from private to public, while the private accounts of 16- and 17-year-olds can be discovered by anyone online, including users without a TikTok account, through features like follower lists. The Commission emphasized that default privacy settings for minors must be effective, not merely an option.

TikTok now has the opportunity to review the findings and formally respond. The company defended its practices, stating that accounts for users under 18...