Reddit has been fined greater than £14m by the Data Commissioner’s Workplace for failing to maintain kids protected.
It’s the largest wonderful ever handed out by the data watchdog over kids’s privateness points.
An investigation by the info safety watchdog discovered the US firm used kids’s info unlawfully.
An announcement from the ICO mentioned Reddit’s failings included not checking the age of customers accessing its platform, placing children in danger.
It mentioned Reddit didn’t:
• Apply any sturdy age assurance mechanism and subsequently didn’t have a lawful foundation for processing the private info of kids beneath the age of 13.
• Perform an information safety impression evaluation (DPIA) to evaluate and mitigate dangers to kids earlier than January 2025.
John Edwards, UK Data Commissioner, mentioned: “It is regarding that an organization the scale of Reddit failed in its authorized obligation to guard the private info of UK kids.
“Youngsters beneath 13 had their private info collected and utilized in methods they might not perceive, consent to or management. That left them doubtlessly uncovered to content material they need to not have seen. That is unacceptable and has resulted in as we speak’s wonderful.
“Let me be clear. Firms working on-line companies prone to be accessed by kids have a accountability to guard these kids by guaranteeing they don’t seem to be uncovered to dangers by means of the best way their knowledge is used. To do that, they must be assured they know the age of their customers and have applicable, efficient age assurance measures in place.
“Reddit failed to satisfy these expectations. They have to do higher and we’re persevering with to think about the age assurance controls now applied by the platform.
“Counting on customers to declare their age themselves just isn’t sufficient when kids could also be in danger and we’re focusing now on corporations which might be primarily utilizing this technique. I subsequently strongly encourage trade to take be aware, replicate on their practices and urgently make any needed enhancements to their platforms.”
Reddit instructed Sky Information it intends to enchantment the ICO’s choice.
“Reddit does not require customers to share details about their identities, no matter age, as a result of we’re deeply dedicated to their privateness and security,” mentioned a Reddit spokesperson.
“The ICO’s insistence that we accumulate extra personal info on each UK consumer is counterintuitive and at odds with our sturdy perception in our customers’ on-line privateness and security.”
Earlier this month, Imgur proprietor MediaLab was handed a £250,000 wonderful for comparable points.
In 2023, TikTok ended up with a £12.7m wonderful after negotiating the ICO down from a £27m penalty.
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