10:15 AM EST, 02/24/2026 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with Reddit's ( RDDT ) comments in the fifth and sixth paragraphs.)

Reddit ( RDDT ) has been issued a roughly 14.5 million pound ($19.5 million) fine by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office for allegedly failing to use children's personal information 'lawfully.'

The regulator said Tuesday a probe found Reddit ( RDDT ) allegedly did not use a "robust age assurance mechanism and therefore did not have a lawful basis for processing the personal information of children under the age of 13."

The ICO also said Reddit ( RDDT ) did not "carry out a data protection impact assessment" to "assess and mitigate risks to children before January 2025."

"These failures meant Reddit ( RDDT ) was using children's data unlawfully, potentially exposing them to inappropriate and harmful content," the regulator alleged.

A Reddit ( RDDT ) spokesperson told MT Newswires the company plans to appeal the ICO's decision.

The spokesperson said Reddit ( RDDT ) does not require users to share identity information, arguing that collecting more private data from UK users would be at odds with its commitment to privacy and safety. Most UK users are adults and the platform prohibits users under 13 globally. The spokesperson added that it introduced age verification for mature content in the UK last year.

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