Italian data protection authority says it will immediately block TikTok’s access to data for any user whose age has not been verified
MILAN – The Italian data protection authority said on Friday that it will immediately block TikTok’s access to data for any user whose age has not been verified.
The authority said it acted with “urgency” following the death of a 10-year-old girl in Sicily who died while participating in a so-called “blackout” challenge while using the Chinese social network for video sharing. .
Prosecutors in Sicily are investigating the case.
The data protection authority noted that in December it had notified TikTok of a series of violations, including a lack of focus on the protection of minors, the ease with which users under the age of 13 could sign up for the platform – against its own rules – the lack of transparency in information given to users and use of automatic settings that do not respect privacy.
“Pending a response, the authority decided to take action to ensure the immediate protection of minors in Italy registered on the network,” the authority said in a statement.
The block will remain in effect at least until February 15, when further evaluations will take place.
TikTok introduced a number of tightened privacy features for users under 18 earlier this month, including a new default private setting for accounts with users aged 13 to 15. Order TikTok and other social media services to disclose how their practices affect children and teens.