By Sam Tabahriti
LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Britain's privacy watchdog on Tuesday fined social media platform Reddit 14.47 million pounds ($19.52 million) for using children's data unlawfully and potentially exposing them to harmful content.
The action comes as Britain considers tighter limits on children's use of social media, with governments worldwide citing concerns about mental-health risks, cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content to justify new age restrictions and bans.
The Information
Commissioner's Office said Reddit did not check children's ages properly and therefore had no right to process their data.
The watchdog said that although Reddit's terms of service prohibited children under 13 from using its platform, effective age checks were not in place until July 2025. The ICO estimated a large number of under-13s were using the platform.
"Children under 13 had their personal information collected and used in ways they could not understand, consent to or control," UK Information Commissioner John Edwards said in a statement.
"That left them potentially exposed to content they should not have seen," Edwards said.
The ICO also said Reddit had not carried out a data protection impact assessment before January 2025 covering the use of children's personal information, even though the platform allows users aged between 13 and 18.
Reddit said in an emailed statement it would appeal the ICO's decision.
"Reddit doesn't require users to share information about their identities, regardless of age, because we are deeply committed to their privacy and safety," the U.S.-based social media firm said.
"The ICO's insistence that we collect more private information on every UK user is counterintuitive and at odds with our strong belief in our users' online privacy and safety."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government launched a consultation earlier this year that includes banning social media for under-16s, restricting addictive design features and tightening controls on smartphone use by young people.
Governments in Australia, Spain, Greece and Slovenia have moved towards restrictions, with platforms in Australia forced to remove millions of accounts after its under-16 ban came into effect late last year.
($1 = 0.7413 pounds)
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti. Editing by William James and Mark Potter)
