March 3 (Reuters) - Britain's privacy watchdog, the

Information Commissioner's Office, on Monday launched an

investigation into how TikTok, Reddit ( RDDT ) and online image

sharing website Imgur safeguard children's privacy.

Social media companies use complex algorithms to prioritise

content and keep users engaged. However, the fact that they

amplify similar content can lead to children being influenced by

increasing amounts of harmful material.

The watchdog said it is probing how Chinese company

ByteDance's short-form video-sharing platform TikTok uses

13-17-year-olds' personal information to suggest content in

their feed.

TikTok's recommender systems operate under comprehensive

measures that protect privacy and safety of teens, including

restrictions on content allowed in their feeds, a TikTok

spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.

Social media and discussion platform Reddit ( RDDT ), and Imgur, face

UK investigation over their handling of children's personal data

and age verification practices, the data watchdog said.

"If we find there is sufficient evidence that any of these

companies have broken the law, we will put this to them and

obtain their representations before reaching a final

conclusion," the Information Commissioner's Office said in a

statement.

In 2023, the ICO fined TikTok 12.7 million pounds ($16

million) for breaching data protection law by using the personal

data of children aged under 13 without parental consent.

Reddit ( RDDT ) has been working closely with the ICO and intends to

comply with all relevant regulations in the countries in which

it operates, a spokesperson from the company told Reuters in an

email.

"Most of our users are adults, but we have plans to roll out

changes this year that address updates to UK regulations around

age assurance," the Reddit ( RDDT ) spokesperson said.

Imgur did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Britain has passed legislation that set tougher rules for

social media platforms, including a mandate for them to prevent

children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content by

enforcing age limits and age-checking measures.

Social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and

TikTok are required to "tame" their algorithms to filter out or

downgrade harmful material to help protect children under

proposed British measures published last year.

($1 = 0.7933 pounds)