Ofcom opened a formal investigation into TikTok over child-safety compliance.
Why it matters: The probe puts TikTok back under pressure in the UK over whether its age checks are strong enough. A finding against the company could shape how social platforms handle age assurance and child protection.
- Ofcom said on July 16, 2026 that it is investigating TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited under section 12 of the Online Safety Act 2023.
- The regulator is examining whether TikTok uses highly effective age assurance to determine if users are children and keep them from harmful content.
- Ofcom said the case follows its recent review of major platforms and its Children’s online experiences report, which raised concerns about children encountering harmful content on TikTok.
- Ofcom has also warned that age inference methods will not be good enough for future under-16 social-media restrictions.
Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into TikTok over whether the platform is complying with UK child-protection duties under section 12 of the Online Safety Act 2023. The regulator said it wants to determine whether TikTok has used age assurance that is highly effective at correctly identifying whether a user is a child and keeping children away from harmful material.
In its announcement, Ofcom said the probe follows its recent review of major platforms and its Children’s online experiences report, which raised concerns about children being exposed to harmful content on TikTok. The regulator’s child-safety guidance says platforms must use highly effective age assurance to identify child users and tailor protections against material such as pornography, self-harm and suicide content.
Ofcom Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes said: "Age checks are a cornerstone of the UK’s online safety laws." In separate guidance, Ofcom told social media companies that those relying on age inference models to meet child-protection duties should switch to other methods it lists as highly effective without delay.
The BBC reported the action as fresh scrutiny over whether TikTok’s child age checks are strong enough, following Ofcom’s May review that criticized the platform for not being safe enough for children. Ofcom has also been pressing major platforms, including TikTok, to strengthen age checks as the UK moves toward tighter under-16 social-media restrictions.
The investigation is at an early stage, and Ofcom has not said it has reached any finding of wrongdoing.
By the numbers
- July 16, 2026 - date Ofcom opened the formal investigation
- Section 12 - legal provision of the Online Safety Act 2023 being examined
- Under-16 - age group Ofcom says future social-media restrictions may target
Yes, but: This is an investigation, not a finding. Ofcom has not proved TikTok breached the law.
What's next: Ofcom will assess whether it has reasonable grounds to believe TikTok failed, or is failing, to comply with its legal obligations.