UK Opens TikTok Child-Safety Probe as Europe Tightens Platform Liabil…

Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into whether TikTok's age-inference systems adequately protect children from harmful content under the UK Online Safety Act, marking the shift from rule-making to enforcement. The probe will test whether behavioural age estimation meets the statutory threshold of being 'highly effective', with potential fines up to £18m or 10% of global revenue if breaches are found. If Ofcom rules that behavioural age estimation is insufficient, every platform will face pressure to deploy stronger age verification—which means buying from identity and age-tech vendors or building in-house at scale. This is the first major enforcement test; the outcome sets the bar for Europe.