US EditionTikTok to tighten age checks in Europe as regulators ramp up pressure
TikTok's AI system uses profile and behavioral data to flag under-13 accounts for human review, removing thousands during a year-long European pilot, the company said.
- On Jan 16, 2026, TikTok, the ByteDance-owned platform, said it will roll out new age-detection technology across Europe in the coming weeks following a year-long pilot.
- Amid stricter oversight, European authorities are scrutinising age verification under GDPR, and TikTok developed the system with Ireland's Data Protection Commission to ensure compliance.
- Using behavioural analysis, the system examines profile information, posted videos and behavioural signals to flag accounts for specialist moderator review, with appeals using Yoti, credit-card checks and government-issued identification.
- The UK pilot showed removal of additional accounts belonging to users under 13, and European users will be notified as the technology goes live, signalling an industry pivot balancing child safety, privacy and compliance.
- With no global consensus on verification, TikTok said its Europe-specific system complies with regulations as governments including Australia in 2025, Denmark, and the European Parliament consider age-limit laws.
73 Articles
73 Articles
TikTok is rolling out a new age-detection system in the EU
The pressure is mounting on social media companies to enforce their rules and protect children on the platforms. Australia recently instituted a ban on children under the age of 16 from social media platforms. Gaming platforms like Roblox are now using facial recognition technology to prevent kids from interacting with adults in chats.And now TikTok, the social media platform well known for its popularity with young people, will be rolling out i…
TikTok using AI to block under-13 accounts across Europe — could the US be far behind?
Amid government-sponsored social media clampdowns, TikTok is rolling out a new AI-powered age-detection tech across Europe that allows them to identify and purge accounts belonging to kids under the age of 13.
While texts to ban social networks for children under the age of 15 will be discussed in the National Assembly, "Liberation" gives the floor to mothers who have attacked the Chinese platform in court for forcing their children to destroy themselves.
To better comply with European regulations, the TikTok platform will deploy a tool to better determine the age of its users. And ban, by the way, those under the age of 13, who are not in principle entitled to be registered.
The TikTok app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, announced its intention to completely ban access to its platform for children under 13 years of age in Europe. ...
New Age-Verification Systems Seek to Block Underage TikTok Accounts in Europe
TikTok will soon roll out enhanced age-verification technology across the European Union, aiming to prevent children under 16 from accessing its platform. The move comes amid growing calls for stricter social media restrictions similar to Australia’s ban on under-16s. Major platforms such as YouTube and Meta are also under increasing pressure to identify and remove accounts belonging to children. The system, piloted quietly over the past year, u…
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