Social media platform TikTok could face a fine of up to £27 million for its failure to protect children's privacy when they're using the platform. 

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) discovered that the video-sharing app could have processed the information of under-13s without appropriate informed consent.

Between May 2018 and July 2020. The ICO investigation found the company may have processed the data of children aged 13 and under, failed to provide proper information to its users and process special category data, without legal grounds to do so.

The media watchdog has stated that the breach occurred but there has yet to be a conclusion.

The ICO investigation found the social platform violated regulations including:

   
•  processing data of children under the age of 13 without appropriate parental consent
   
• failing to provide proper information to its users in a concise, transparent and thoroughly understood way
   
• processing special category data, without legal grounds to do so

Ofcom has stated 44% of 8-12 year-olds across the UK use TikTok despite the restrictions put on the app forbidding under-13s on the platform.

Information Commissioner John Edwards has said: "We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections.

"Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement."

Despite TikTok's introduction of a number of new features which are aimed to strengthen privacy and safety on the app, it has been argued there is still more to be done. 

Edwards continued: I've been clear that our work to better protect children online involves working with organisations, but will also involve enforcement action where necessary.

"In addition to this, we are currently looking into how over 50 different online services are conforming with the Children's Code, and have six ongoing investigations looking into companies providing digital services who haven't, in our initial view, taken their responsibilities around child safety seriously enough."

A spokesperson of Tiktok has stated: "This notice of intent, covering the period May 2018-July 2020, is provisional and as the ICO itself has stated, no final conclusions can be drawn at this time.

"While we respect the ICO's role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course."