EU warns TikTok's child safety features should not be opt-in

The European Union has formally warned TikTok that its current approach to protecting minors on the platform is insufficient, saying safety measures should not require users to opt in. In preliminary findings announced under the Digital Services Act (DSA), the European Commission identified several areas where TikTok must improve its default settings for underage users.

The Commission specifically took issue with TikTok’s default setting that makes minors’ accounts public, allowing their content to be viewed by anyone. Regulators argue that the default should instead be private, so that only approved followers can see a teen’s posts. They also said content from minors should not be recommended to other users in the “For You” feed unless the teen actively chooses to make it public. Even accounts set to private, the Commission noted, can be easily discovered through the “following” lists of other users, and their profiles can be accessed via that route.

The findings matter because they set a precedent for how social media platforms must protect children under the DSA, a landmark EU law that imposes strict obligations on large online platforms. If TikTok fails to address the concerns, it could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. The Commission has given TikTok a deadline to respond to the preliminary findings, after which it will decide on next steps. TikTok has not yet publicly commented on the specific recommendations, but the case highlights the EU’s push to make child safety a default feature rather than an optional setting.