Social media platform Reddit has been handed a £14.47m fine by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for failing to apply robust age assurance mechanisms to protect the personal information of young children.
An ICO investigation into Reddit found that children’s personal information was being used by the platform unlawfully.
According to the data watchdog, Reddit’s failings included not checking the age of users accessing its platform, putting children at risk. The company therefore also did not have a “lawful basis for processing the personal information of children under the age of 13”.
The regulator also said the platform failed to carry out a data protection impact assessment to “assess and mitigate risks to children before January 2025”.
Reddit introduced age assurance measures in July of last year that included requiring age verification to access mature content. The ICO noted that Reddit’s reliance on self-declaration of age at the creation of accounts meant restrictions were too easy to bypass.
“It’s concerning that a company the size of Reddit failed in its legal duty to protect the personal information of UK children,” said Information Commissioner John Edwards.
“Children under 13 had their personal information collected and used in ways they could not understand, consent to or control. That left them potentially exposed to content they should not have seen. This is unacceptable and has resulted in today’s fine.
“Let me be clear. Companies operating online services likely to be accessed by children have a responsibility to protect those children by ensuring they’re not exposed to risks through the way their data is used.
“Reddit failed to meet these expectations. They must do better and we are continuing to consider the age assurance controls now implemented by the platform.”
