TikTok is stepping up its game to keep young kids off its platform. Starting in the next few weeks, the company will roll out new age-detection tech across Europe, the UK, and Switzerland. This move aims to identify and remove users under 13, the minimum age required to use the app.
The new system scans profile details and app activity to guess a person’s age. If the software flags an account as potentially belonging to a child, a human specialist reviews it. If the moderator confirms the user is underage, they ban the account immediately. TikTok already deletes around 6 million underage accounts every month, but they believe these new tools will help them catch even more.
If TikTok bans an account by mistake, users can appeal the decision. To get back online, they have to provide a government ID, a credit card authorization, or a “selfie” generated by software that estimates their age. TikTok admits that there is no perfect, global way to check ages without risking user privacy. However, they argue that combining several methods is the best way to protect teens and to follow “safety-by-design” principles.
This rollout follows a successful trial in Europe that helped the platform identify and delete thousands of extra accounts. TikTok also worked closely with European privacy regulators to ensure it wasn’t breaking any data protection laws while verifying these ages.
These changes arrive as governments around the world put more pressure on social media companies. Australia recently banned social media for anyone under 16, leading to the closure of millions of accounts. The UK might be next. Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently said he is considering “all options” to keep kids safe online. In fact, the House of Lords plans to vote next week on whether to push for a similar under-16 ban. By tightening its own rules now, TikTok is trying to show it can police itself before the government steps in with even stricter laws.
