TikTok commits to strengthening youth privacy measures after Canadian probe

Despite claiming it’s not for users under 13, TikTok was found to have allowed hundreds of thousands of Canadian children on its platform while collecting their data for targeted ads, violating Canadian privacy standards

TikTok has agreed to implement stronger safeguards to prevent underage users from accessing its platform, following a joint investigation by Canadian federal and provincial privacy authorities. The probe, led by Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne alongside officials from Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta, revealed that the platform failed to adequately protect young users and their personal data.

Despite policies stating the platform is not intended for users under 13, investigators found that hundreds of thousands of Canadian children were regularly accessing TikTok. Moreover, the platform was collecting personal data from a significant number of these minors and using it for targeted content and advertising—practices deemed inadequate under Canadian privacy standards.

“TikTok gathers large volumes of personal information, including from youth, and uses it to influence what content and ads they see. That poses serious risks to young people,” said Dufresne during a press conference outlining the findings.

TikTok agrees to reforms, but disputes some findings

In response, TikTok has pledged to enhance its age verification tools, prevent advertisers from targeting users under 18 beyond basic parameters like language or region, and improve transparency around data usage for all Canadian users. The company also committed to expanding privacy education, especially for younger audiences.

TikTok stated that while it supports many of the recommendations and is already making changes, it disagrees with certain aspects of the investigation—though it did not specify which findings it contests.

This development places Canada among a growing list of countries scrutinizing TikTok's data practices, particularly in relation to national security and user privacy. The platform, owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, is also under review in Europe and the U.S., where federal employees have been banned from using the app on government devices.

In Canada, TikTok’s expansion plans have triggered broader concerns. A government-led review in 2023 resulted in a directive calling for the company to halt operations, citing national security risks—an order TikTok is currently appealing.