TikTok Child Safety Probe
Ofcom Investigates TikTok Over Child Safety Failures Amidst Online Safety Act Compliance Concerns
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UK media regulator Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into TikTok, examining whether the platform is failing to protect children from harmful content. The probe centres on whether TikTok's UK operations comply with the Online Safety Act — landmark legislation that puts strict legal duties on social media companies. Yahoo News reported the investigation was announced roughly one month after the government imposed new online safety rules.
The investigation follows a damning Ofcom review that found TikTok was not doing enough to shield young users from harm, despite widespread evidence of the risks they face. Crucially, Ofcom found that some of TikTok's own systems may have failed to correctly identify a significant number of children on the platform — meaning kids could have slipped through age checks and been exposed to content meant for adults. KMFM and other outlets confirmed the findings.
What the Online Safety Act Requires From TikTok
The Online Safety Act places clear legal duties on social media platforms operating in the UK. Companies must take active steps to protect children from harmful material — not just react after complaints come in. Ofcom is the regulator responsible for enforcing these rules. If a platform is found to be breaking the law, Ofcom has the power to issue large fines or take further action.
Ofcom's investigation will specifically look at whether TikTok met those duties. The regulator wants to know if TikTok put the right systems in place and whether those systems actually worked. According to Roch Valley Radio, the probe will examine TikTok's compliance with key elements of the Act — meaning the investigation could be broad in scope.
Age-Check Failures Put Children at Risk
One of the most alarming findings from Ofcom's earlier review was that TikTok's age detection tools may not have worked properly. A significant proportion of child users were reportedly not correctly identified as children. That means TikTok's safeguards — designed to show younger users a safer version of the app — may not have kicked in at all for many of them.
This is a serious problem. If TikTok does not know a user is a child, it cannot apply the right protections. The platform uses automated systems to estimate users' ages, but Ofcom's review suggested those systems fell short. Without reliable age checks, children can be served the same content as adults — including material that could be harmful or disturbing.
TikTok Faces Growing Pressure Over Child Safety
This investigation is not TikTok's first brush with child safety regulators. The platform has faced scrutiny in multiple countries over how it handles young users. In the UK, Ofcom's move signals that regulators are ready to act — not just warn. The Online Safety Act gives Ofcom real teeth, and this probe could result in significant penalties if TikTok is found to be non-compliant.
The timing matters too. The investigation comes just one month after the UK government implemented the Online Safety Act's new requirements. Regulators appear to be sending a clear message to all social media platforms: the era of self-regulation is over. Companies that fail to protect children will face formal scrutiny, according to This Is The Coast.
What Happens Next in the Investigation
Ofcom's investigation is now formally underway. The regulator will gather evidence and assess whether TikTok broke its legal duties under the Online Safety Act. TikTok will have the chance to respond and provide its own evidence. Investigations of this kind can take months before a final ruling is reached.
If Ofcom finds TikTok breached the Act, it could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual turnover — a potentially enormous sum for one of the world's most-used apps. For now, all eyes are on how TikTok responds and whether it can show the regulator it has taken child safety seriously. Radio Royal confirmed the investigation is ongoing.
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