Ofcom opens investigation into TikTok child safety

Britain's communications regulator, Ofcom, launched a formal investigation into TikTok on Thursday, July 16, 2026, over concerns the platform is failing to adequately protect children from harmful content. The probe will examine whether TikTok has complied with its legal duties under the Online Safety Act, specifically focusing on the effectiveness of its systems for identifying underage users and preventing their exposure to dangerous material.

At the center of the investigation is TikTok's use of "age inference" technology, which estimates a user's age by analyzing their behavior on the app, such as the videos they watch or accounts they interact with. Ofcom officials have expressed serious doubts about this method. Kate Davies, Ofcom's group director for strategy and research, stated that age inference is not listed in the regulator's guidance as a method considered "highly effective" for age verification. She said the regulator has evidence suggesting the approach may be failing to correctly identify a significant proportion of children, leaving them at risk.

Under the Online Safety Act, which came into force on July 25, 2025, platforms must implement highly effective age...