Brazil fines TikTok nearly $30 million over minors’ data, orders deletion
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Brazilian authorities are increasing scrutiny of major social media platforms, particularly over how they handle minors’ personal data.
As part of that effort, the country’s privacy regulator fined TikTok owner ByteDance nearly $30 million and told the company to erase data it says was collected from young users in violation of the rules, according to AFP, as cited by Courthouse News.
Here’s what to know
According to AFP, Brazil’s National Data Protection Agency fined ByteDance 153.7 million reais, or about $29.9 million, citing “irregularities in the processing of data belonging to children and adolescents.”
Beyond the monetary penalty, regulators said ByteDance must “delete the data collected in violation of regulations.”
The ruling reflects Brazil’s increasingly forceful approach to regulating social media platforms.
Data about minors can shape what content they see, how they are targeted, and how much control parents actually have over their online experiences.
Officials also confirmed that TikTok agreed to “implementing a compliance plan to improve the protection of children and adolescents.”
More background
The case centered on a business practice many users rarely see directly but live with every day: the quiet collection and use of personal data.
When that involves children and teenagers, the risks can be greater, since young users may not fully understand what they are agreeing to or how platforms track their behavior.
Brazil’s regulators did not just object to one technical mistake.
They signaled that a company’s design choices — including weak default protections or limited parental oversight — can bring real consequences.
Social platforms are deeply embedded in school, entertainment, and social life for young people.
The punishment also reflected a growing call for tech companies to build stronger protections from the start instead of waiting for public backlash or government intervention.
When they fail to do so, families are often left to absorb the risks, ranging from loss of privacy to unwanted exposure to inappropriate content.
Asked for comment by AFP, TikTok did not immediately respond.
What’s being done?
Under the order, accounts for children under 16 will need to have stricter privacy settings applied automatically.
Default settings can make a major difference in whether young users are exposed to unnecessary tracking or unwanted contact.
Regulators are also requiring stronger parental supervision tools and tougher content filters.
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