Parents want EU regulators to intervene at TikTok

More than 60,000 concerned parents believe that regulators in Europe should intervene with the video app TikTok, because it does not do enough to ensure the safety of the mostly young users.

This article was published on 7th April 2020 on RTL Nieuws in the Netherlands. Please find the English translation below.

That says the Foundation for Market Information Research (SOMI), which represents these parents. According to SOMI, concerns about the Chinese platform among parents are greater than ever after another deadly incident with the so-called 'blackout challenge' on TikTok. In addition, people let themselves suffocate for as long as possible while filming themselves.

Last month, a 12-year-old American boy is said to have died as a result of that challenge. Earlier this year, a ten-year-old Italian girl also died due to the blackout challenge on TikTok, her parents said.

Age control

Children under the age of sixteen do need permission from their parents for a TikTok account, but according to SOMI, the age check is easy to circumvent. SOMI had already called on Dutch and European regulators to take tougher action against TikTok in January. An appeal is now also being made to Ireland, where TikTok has established its European headquarters, to intervene immediately. 

More worries

SOMI is also concerned about child predators looking for victims on TikTok. Moreover, TikTok violates the privacy rules, according to the foundation that is preparing a collective claim against the company. 

TikTok recently took additional measures to guarantee the safety of young users. For example, accounts of users between thirteen and fifteen years old would be set to private by default and strangers cannot automatically see their videos. Moderators also ban inappropriate videos and users can report offensive material. According to TikTok, the safety of young users is 'the number one priority'.