Brazil fines ByteDance 153.8 million reais for mishandling teens' data
Brazil just fined ByteDance (the company behind TikTok) 153.8 million reais ($29.81 million) for mishandling the data of teens aged 13 to 18.
The regulator estimated that, during the period under review, TikTok may have processed the data of at least 8 million children, reflecting shortcomings in the platform's age-verification system.
This move follows a global push, like in France and Australia, to get stricter on how social media handles young users' data.
Brazil orders ByteDance delete teen data
Brazilian authorities called out TikTok's weak age checks, especially its "logged-out feed" that lets anyone, including teens, browse content without even signing up.
ByteDance now must delete the personal data of teenagers registered on the platform within 60 days if the required parent/guardian/legal support arrangements are not provided and documented or face daily fines, while Brazil is also reviewing other platforms to make sure they're following new child protection rules.