• UK fines Reddit $19 million for using children’s data unlawfully February 24, 2026 09:54 AM 0 The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Reddit £14.47 million (over $19.5 million) for collecting and using the personal information of children under 13 without adequate safeguards. • As the ICO explained in a Tuesday press release, Reddit failed to implement a meaningful age-verification system on its platform until July 2025, even though its own terms of service prohibited users under 13. • The data protection regulator also estimates that a significant number of underage children were using the social media platform before July 2025 and that Reddit processed their data without a lawful basis and potentially exposed them to harmful content. • In July 2025, Reddit implemented age assurance measures, including an age verification system for accessing mature content and a self-declaration prompt for new accounts. • However, the ICO criticized them for failing to meet UK data protection standards and noted that children can easily bypass them. • “It’s concerning that a company the size of Reddit failed in its legal duty to protect the personal information of UK children.

Article Summaries:

  • The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Reddit £14.47 million (about $19.5 million) for unlawfully collecting and using personal data of children under 13. The regulator said Reddit had not implemented a robust age‑verification system until July 2025, despite its terms of service banning users under 13, and that it processed the children’s data without a lawful basis, potentially exposing them to harmful content. Reddit introduced age‑assurance measures in July 2025, but the ICO found them inadequate and noted that children could bypass them. Reddit will appeal the decision, arguing that most UK users are adults and that its privacy stance is strong.

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