TikTok has been collecting sensitive personal data from hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 13
A joint investigation into the social media app TikTok conducted by the Canadian government and provincial
News release: Joint investigation into TikTok highlights privacy concerns related to the collection and use of children's personal information - Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-news/news-and-announcements/2025/nr-c_250923/
PIPEDA Findings #2025-003: Joint investigation of TikTok Pte. Ltd. by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta - Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-actions-and-decisions/investigations/investigations-into-businesses/2025/pipeda-2025-003/
Backgrounder: Investigation into TikTok and user privacy - Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-news/news-and-announcements/2025/bg_tiktok_250923/
Privacy commissioners find TikTok collected sensitive data from Canadian children | CBC News
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tiktok-privacy-commissioners-1.7640974
TikTok collects data both from users who provide it directly to the app operator and from users' use of the platform. A joint investigation by Canada's Federal Privacy Commissioner and other parties examined how TikTok collects and uses users' personal information, focusing in particular on how it handles the data of young users (children).
The investigation found that hundreds of thousands of Canadian children access the TikTok platform each year and that TikTok collects and uses their personal information. While TikTok's terms of service prohibit users under the age of 13, the report notes that the platform does not take sufficient measures to keep children off the platform, stating that 'if you believe a user under the age of 13 is using TikTok with an account that is inappropriate for their age, please report it to TikTok.'
The investigation also found that TikTok collects 'user-provided data, including date of birth, location, and other personal information,' 'device information, such as IP addresses and GPS data,' 'behavioral data, such as content viewed and time spent, comments made, and purchases,' 'data about users' contact lists and friends on other social media profiles,' and 'facial recognition and biometric data.' The investigation also found that TikTok uses data collected from users, including children, to create profiles of each user and use them to deliver targeted advertising and customized content.
In addition, the Federal Privacy Commissioner pointed out that 'TikTok failed to provide users with important information upfront, such as what information it collects and uses to deliver targeted advertising and personalize content to users.' Specifically, the company cited issues such as the lack of sufficient explanation in its privacy policy and the failure to provide important privacy information in French, one of Canada's official languages.
In addition to concerns about the personal information collected by TikTok due to its collection of children's information, there are also concerns about the information children receive from TikTok. Targeted advertising and customized content delivery may provide biased information to children with specific preferences, which could hinder the normal development and exploration of young people's identities. There is also a risk that children may be exposed to biased opinions, body image, and gender stereotypes.
As a result of the investigation report, TikTok has committed to the Federal Privacy Commissioner to take steps to improve its privacy practices, including strengthening measures to prevent children from accessing TikTok, stopping targeted advertising to users under the age of 18, and improving how it explains its privacy practices, particularly to teenagers.
'TikTok is one of Canada's most widely used social media apps, and our investigation has revealed that the personal data profiles of young people, including children, are sometimes used to deliver advertising content directly and targeted at them, with potential detrimental effects on their well-being,' said Federal Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne. 'This highlights an important point that organizations subject to Canadian privacy law must consider when designing and developing services, particularly for younger users. As technology plays an increasingly central role in the lives of young Canadians, we must prioritize their best interests to help them safely navigate the digital world.'
British Columbia Privacy Commissioner Michael Harvey also stated, 'I was surprised at the sophisticated user profiles TikTok created from the personal data it collected.' He added, 'Children's worldviews are shaped by social media. These developing worldviews have been shaped in ways that children and the adults who care for them cannot possibly understand, let alone control. Rather than placing the burden of using these platforms safely on children and their families, we need to address the root causes.' He spoke of the importance of protecting children on platforms.
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