Brazil fines TikTok owner $30 million over child data violations

Brazil’s data protection authority has fined ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, more than 153 million Brazilian reals (about $30 million) for violations related to the collection and processing of children’s and teenagers’ personal data.

The authority said TikTok breached privacy laws by collecting and processing minors’ data—both for registered accounts and users browsing the platform without logging in—without a valid legal basis or adequate safeguards for data protection.

The regulator gave the company 10 days to appeal the decision, ordered it to delete all data collected illegally, and required ByteDance to submit a plan to strengthen protections for minors on the platform.

The fine comes amid growing efforts in Brazil to regulate children’s and teenagers’ internet use, as other countries—including Australia, Canada, and Indonesia—take similar steps.