Key facts
- Brazil's data protection regulator fined ByteDance over 153 million reais (nearly $30 million).
- The fine is due to alleged failures in handling personal data of children and teenagers.
Brazil's data protection regulator has fined TikTok parent company ByteDance over 153 million reais (nearly $30 million) for alleged failures in handling the personal data of children and teenagers. The company can appeal the decision within 10 days.
The substantial fine highlights increasing global scrutiny of social media platforms' data handling practices, particularly concerning minors, and signals a growing trend of regulatory action against major tech companies.
Brazil's data protection authority has imposed a fine of over 153 million reais (approximately $30 million) on TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, citing alleged failures in safeguarding the personal data of minors. The regulator stated that TikTok violated data privacy laws by collecting and processing information from young users, including those with logged-in accounts and guest browsing sessions, without proper legal basis or sufficient safeguards.
ByteDance has the option to appeal this decision within the next 10 days. The ruling also mandates that TikTok remove all data collected unlawfully and submit a comprehensive plan to enhance the protection of minors on its platform.
This action is part of a broader trend in Brazil, where the government under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Supreme Court have been attempting to regulate minors' internet usage, though with limited success. Earlier this month, the same regulatory body recommended suspending live broadcasts on Discord following its alleged link to a suicide case. Brazil's first lady, Rosângela Lula da Silva, has publicly criticized TikTok's child protection measures and suggested the platform should be taken offline.