A discussion of TikTok’s disregard of UK and US child data policies

Children are among the most vulnerable members of society, necessitating strong protections, especially regarding their online presence. Although laws have been enacted to safeguard their physical well-being, many online companies, including TikTok, have failed to ensure proper handling of children’s data. TikTok, a popular social media platform, has been repeatedly flagged for security risks, including inadequate parental consent, unreasonable data collection, and unauthorized data transference. This paper examines these discrepancies within TikTok’s data privacy practices concerning US and UK regulations, with a focus on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This research follows a comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks that highlights TikTok’s repeated failures of compliance, while discussing the broader implications for online child data protection. A comprehensive review of TikTok’s practices offers insights into how companies can improve their compliance with child data protection laws while highlighting the importance of regulatory enforcement.