Technology · 5 August 2026
TikTok fined £12.7M for profiling 1.4M children, tribunal rejects 'artistic' defense
The platform broke UK privacy rules between 2018 and 2020 by profiling over 1.4 million users who were under 13. TikTok tried to argue that making and sharing videos counted as artistic expression, which carries special legal protections. A tribunal completely rejected that excuse on Wednesday, backing the original penalty from the Information Commissioner's Office, Britain's data watchdog.
Reported by City AM · How we write briefs