TikTok’s efforts to prevent underage use and safeguard children’s personal data have been found inadequate by a Canadian privacy investigation.
According to findings released by Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, hundreds of thousands of Canadian children use the video-sharing platform each year despite the company’s policy that it is not intended for those under 13. Investigators also concluded that TikTok collected sensitive information from “a large number” of minors and used it for targeted marketing and content recommendations.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Dufresne said the platform gathers “vast amounts of information” from users, including children, and warned of the harmful effects of such data being used to influence the content and advertisements they see.
In response, TikTok pledged to introduce new measures to better protect Canadian users and to be clearer about how personal data is collected and used. “While we disagree with some of the findings, we remain committed to maintaining strong transparency and privacy practices,” a spokesperson said. The company added that Canadian regulators had accepted several of its proposals to strengthen safeguards.
The probe adds to growing global scrutiny of the Chinese-owned app, which faces persistent concerns over privacy and national security. The European Commission in 2023 ordered staff to remove TikTok from official devices to bolster cybersecurity, while in the United States, discussions continue over the app’s ownership and operations.
TikTok and Beijing have consistently denied allegations of misuse of data or links to security risks.
