Wire · regulatory
Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, is investigating TikTok's child safety measures
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Fusion42 · 16 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into TikTok's compliance with UK Online Safety Act duties to protect children from harmful content, specifically scrutinising the effectiveness of the platform's age inference system. Non-compliance could result in fines up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Social & Community.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
If you build age-verification or content-moderation tools for social platforms, TikTok's investigation signals that inference-based systems won't survive Ofcom scrutiny - platforms will need to buy proven alternatives or face £18 million fines. The UK ban on under-16s next year makes this a regulatory forcing function across all major platforms.
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1 source · 16 Jul 2026
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