Canada Flags TikTok for Slacking on Kids' Data Safety!

TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps, especially among young people. In Canada, hundreds of thousands of children use TikTok every year, even though the company says the app is not meant for anyone under 13. Recently, Canadian privacy officials investigated TikTok to see if it was doing enough to protect children and their personal data. The investigation found that TikTok’s efforts were not strong enough. The app collected sensitive information from a large number of Canadian children and used it for online marketing and to target content and ads.

Philippe Dufresne, Canada’s privacy commissioner, explained that TikTok gathers vast amounts of data from its users, including children. This data is then used to decide what videos and advertisements users see, which can have negative effects, especially on young people. The investigation led TikTok to agree to improve its measures to prevent children from using the app and to make it clearer how their data might be used. TikTok responded by saying it welcomed the investigation and that Canadian officials had agreed to some of its proposals to make the platform safer. However, TikTok also said it disagreed with some of the findings but promised to keep working on transparency and privacy.

This investigation is part of a larger trend, as governments around the world are paying more attention to TikTok’s impact on users and national security. Some countries are concerned because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company. In the United States, there have been talks about American companies taking over TikTok’s US operations. In Europe, the European Commission told its staff to remove TikTok from their phones to protect data and improve cybersecurity. TikTok and the Chinese government have denied any wrongdoing and say the app is safe. The situation shows how important it is for social media companies to protect young users and be clear about how they use personal information.