Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Tuesday imposed a fine of 153.7 million reais (approximately $28.7 million) on ByteDance, the owner of the social network TikTok, for “violations in the processing of children’s and adolescents’ data”.
According to the ANPD report, the social network failed to properly block users under the age of 16 and improperly processed their personal data. In addition to the fine, the Chinese platform will be required to delete unlawfully collected data. The statement also noted that ByteDance “has committed to implementing a plan of measures to improve the protection of children and adolescents on TikTok”.
New requirements for the platform
The TikTok platform must automatically apply stricter privacy settings for accounts of users under the age of 16, strengthen parental control systems, and introduce stricter content filters. The Brazilian oversight and regulatory body found that the practices of the Chinese company did not comply with the country’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD). This applied to two modes of access to the platform — for users with and without an account.
ANPD noted that the measures taken by TikTok “were insufficient to prevent the improper processing of children’s and adolescents’ personal data from the outset”. In the version of the platform without user registration, TikTok will have to suspend the display of advertisements throughout Brazil, restrict access to content suitable for all age groups, and reduce screen time to 12 hours. In this version, users will also not be able to post or watch live streams.
Strengthening regulation of social networks in Brazil
Earlier this month, ANPD also ordered the popular streaming platform Discord to suspend live streams and video calls after a teenager was allegedly encouraged to commit suicide during a broadcast. The agency told AFP that an appeal filed by Discord on Monday against this decision is currently under consideration.
In recent years, Brazil has taken a tougher stance on regulating social networks. A recent law requires platforms to link accounts of users under the age of 16 to their parents’ accounts and verify users’ ages. In 2024, the platform X was blocked in Brazil for 40 days until the social network, owned by Elon Musk, complied with the Supreme Court’s order to remove accounts that spread disinformation.
Source: Euronews
