TikTok Fined $530 Million for Breaking EU Privacy Rules

After a 4-year investigation led by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, the video-sharing platform TikTok was found liable and fined $530 million for breaching EU privacy rules.

According to Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle, “TikTok failed to verify, guarantee, and demonstrate that the personal data of (European) users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU.” TikTok was ordered to comply with the EU’s data privacy laws within the next six months.

The Irish Data Protection Commission is an independent authority responsible for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Ireland. Since TikTok’s headquarters are based in Dublin, the Commission is the only entity with the lawful power to oversee TikTok’s compliance with European data protection rules.

The main object of the investigation was the platform’s lack of transparency regarding how user data was transferred to countries outside of the EU, particularly to Chinese servers. It’s not the first time the social media platform has been fined. In 2023, TikTok had to pay millions for breaching another set of children-related privacy laws.

The term data privacy has become a landmark in any online discussion about the dangers of the internet. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to ensure that our information is safe on the internet. When you register new accounts for any online service, it’s paramount that you go over its privacy policy and pay special attention to how it uses your data.

If you suspect your data has been stolen or sold, we recommend looking into identity theft protection services. They offer comprehensive data leak monitoring and notify you whenever a breach is detected.