- British regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into TikTok for possible failures in protecting minors.
- The effectiveness of age verification systems is being questioned, especially those based on behavioral inference.
- If the non-compliance is confirmed, TikTok could face fines of up to 10% of its global revenue.
- The United Kingdom is preparing a total ban on access to social networks for children under 16 from 2027.
The UK's media and telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a formal investigation into TikTok to determine whether the platform is failing to meet its legal obligations to protect children. The agency suspects that the social network's age verification systems are not effective enough to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as pornography, self-harm, or suicide.
This investigation comes at a time when the UK is tightening its online safety legislation, with the Online Safety Act as its main tool. Furthermore, the British government has already announced that it will ban access to social media for those under 16 from 2027, a measure that will force platforms to strengthen their control mechanisms. Ofcom's decision represents a further step in the regulatory pressure on Big Tech, and it doesn't only affect TikTok: investigations have also been opened against search engines like Google and Bing for facilitating access to unverified adult content.
Ofcom's investigation: age verification under scrutiny
The main focus of the investigation is on the age inference systems used by TikTok. Unlike more robust methods such as document or biometric verification, this technology estimates a user's age based on their behavior on the platform: what videos they watch, how much time they spend on it, and who they interact with. Ofcom believes these models cannot be considered "highly effective" as required by UK regulations, and there are "serious doubts" about their ability to accurately identify minors. If the system fails, children could continue to access content that should be restricted, such as videos with explicit violence or pornography.
Ofcom's chief executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, has been unequivocal: "Age checks are a cornerstone of UK online safety law." While acknowledging progress, she insists that "tech companies must do more ." The investigation does not imply that TikTok has already broken the law, but it does open a review process that could lead to sanctions if deficiencies are proven. The company, for its part, has responded that it is "convinced it complies with its obligations" and will cooperate with the regulator to demonstrate this.
Previous fines and possible penalties
This isn't the first time TikTok has faced legal trouble in Britain. Two years ago, Ofcom fined the company nearly £2 million (about $2,7 million) for failing to provide timely information about its parental controls. A year earlier, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) fined it £12,7 million ($17 million) for the "unlawful" use of children's personal data. Now, if the investigation concludes that TikTok is not complying with the Online Safety Act, it could face fines of up to 10% of its global revenue , an amount that could reach billions of euros.
The regulator has made it clear that opening an investigation does not imply a prejudgment, but the threat of financial penalties is real. Furthermore, the European regulatory landscape is also tightening: the European Union has already demanded that Meta remove addictive features from Facebook and Instagram, and several countries are considering regulations similar to the UK's. This puts TikTok in the crosshairs on multiple fronts, and the pressure is coming not only from governments but also from parents' associations and activists demanding more drastic measures.
Advances and gaps in child protection
The Ofcom report also reflects that, despite the challenges, significant progress has been made in the last year. Between July 2025 and January 2026, the percentage of minors who encountered highly effective age verification systems rose from 25% to 43%. Furthermore, the top ten UK porn sites now incorporate verification systems, and most of the top one hundred most visited platforms have also implemented them. However, significant gaps remain , particularly in search engines. Ofcom found that 33% of the results on the first page of Google and 54% of those on Bing led to pornographic sites without age verification, and has therefore called on both search engines to collaborate to reduce the visibility of this content.
Another worrying point is that some dating apps continue to allow access to teenagers aged 15 to 17, despite having verification systems in place. This demonstrates that the implementation of controls is not always effective, and that platforms must strengthen their mechanisms to ensure that minors cannot circumvent the barriers. Ofcom has launched 23 investigations affecting 88 adult content providers, many of which have already implemented verification measures or blocked access for UK users.
The future: a ban on social media for those under 16.
The British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has already announced that from 2027, those under 16 will be banned from social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. This measure, similar to one adopted in New Zealand, also includes a ban on live streaming, even on gaming platforms. Furthermore, a nighttime curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds is being considered, which would block access to social media between midnight and 6:00 a.m., although it could be manually deactivated.
The initiative has sparked debate: while the government argues that it is necessary to protect young people from addictive and harmful content, some organizations consider the measures insufficient. For example, Elle Roome, who lost her 14-year-old son to a viral challenge, criticized the fact that the curfew can be deactivated, comparing it to "offering a kid a bottle of alcohol and then putting it away for a bit." In any case, the regulatory trend is clear: Europe and the UK are moving towards stricter control of digital platforms , and TikTok is at the center of this perfect storm.
Ofcom's investigation, which is expected to provide an update in October, will be closely watched by other European countries evaluating similar regulations. Meanwhile, the Chinese company ByteDance will have to prove that its age verification systems are reliable, or face consequences that could redefine how minors use social media across the continent.