TikTok, owned by ByteDance Ltd, might be subject to a fine of 27 million pounds ($28.9 million), according to a preliminary finding by the UK's privacy watchdog that the business may have violated data protection laws by failing to adequately protect children's data.

According to a statement made on Monday, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) sent TikTok a notice of intent outlining its plans for a potential fine and its findings. According to the authority's preliminary findings, TikTok likely did not get the required parental authorisation from kids who use its site and handled some data unlawfully.

“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,” a TikTok spokesperson said.

TikTok has faced intense scrutiny in Europe over concerns that children’s data isn’t safe on the social media platform. A separate probe in Ireland, the EU base of TikTok, which is looking into alleged misuse of child data by the company, is also in the final stages.

“We will carefully consider any representations from TikTok before taking a final decision,” the ICO said in a statement.

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

ICO's provisional view suggests that TikTok breached UK data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020.

In July, a US Senate Commerce Committee voted to approve a measure that would raise the age children are given special online privacy protections to 16 and bar targeted advertising to children by companies such as TikTok and Snapchat without consent.

(With agency inputs)

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