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A joint investigation into TikTok has been done by Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne and provincial counterparts in Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta.
The investigation found that the measures in place to keep children off the popular video-sharing platform and to prevent the collection and use of their sensitive personal information for profiling and targeting purposes were inadequate, a press release said.
The company has stated that its platform is not intended for people under the age of 13, but the investigation found that hundreds of thousands of Canadian children access TikTok’s platform each year, and that TikTok has been collecting and using their personal information.
Although the joint investigation was focused on children, it also found that TikTok did not adequately explain its data practices to teen and adult users, nor did it obtain meaningful consent for the collection and use of vast amounts of user data, including sensitive data of younger users, as required under Canadian privacy laws the press release said.
Online marketing practices and content targeting can have significant impacts on children’s well-being.
In response to the Offices’ findings and recommendations, TikTok has agreed to strengthen privacy communications to ensure that users understand how their data could be used, including for targeted advertising and content personalization.
TikTok has also agreed to enhance age-assurance methods to keep underage users off TikTok and provide more privacy information in French.
“Children on TikTok are being exposed to a wide spectrum of risks and harms that include but go beyond issues of privacy. They are more likely to see video content that is not age-appropriate. They are more likely to receive targeted ads that normalize gambling, increase identity theft, hinder healthy development, foster negative body images or early sexualization, or reinforce gender stereotypes. This is why the next steps are so important, said Diane McLeod, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta in a statement.
Some improvements to the company were made to its privacy practices during the investigation. This included changes to effectively stop allowing advertisers to target users under the age of 18, except based on broad categories such as language and approximate location.
TikTok expanded the privacy information available to Canadian users, in English and French, including setting out the rights of users to access or update the information about them that TikTok holds.
The ultimate goal of the joint investigation was to create a safer, more transparent online environment for children, where they feel empowered to exercise their privacy rights and where they can safely explore, learn, and grow without compromising their privacy or security.
All organizations subject to Canadian privacy laws must respect children’s privacy rights and design services and products with strong protections for the personal information of children.
Prioritizing privacy throughout the lifecycle of a technology, program, or service can help ensure that organizations innovate responsibly, with appropriate data protection that can support users, increase confidence in the service, and ensure compliance with applicable laws.
“TikTok is one of the most prevalent social media applications used in Canada, and it is collecting vast amounts of personal information about its users, including a large number of Canadian children. The investigation has revealed that personal data profiles of youth, including children, are used at times to target advertising content directly to them, which can have harmful impacts on their well-being,” said Philippe Dufresne, Privacy Commissioner of Canada in a statement.
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