TikTok removes approximately half a million underage Canadian accounts annually but still fails to adequately protect children’s personal data, according to a joint privacy investigation released Tuesday by federal and provincial authorities.
The investigation by Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne and privacy authorities in Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta found hundreds of thousands of Canadian children accessed TikTok each year despite company policies restricting use to those 13 and older. The probe revealed that the video-sharing platform collected sensitive information from minors and used it for targeted marketing and content recommendations.
“Every minute of every day, on average, a child in Canada is banned from TikTok for being underage,” according to findings from the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec. The investigation determined this represents approximately 500,000 accounts belonging to children annually.
The commissioners concluded that TikTok’s age verification mechanisms were insufficient, particularly since the platform’s internal moderation practices are limited when users do not post content. “It is highly likely that many more underage users access and engage with the platform” beyond those detected and removed, investigators stated.
At a press conference Tuesday, Dufresne emphasized the scale of data collection, explaining that the platform gathers vast amounts of information from users, including children, which is then used to influence the content and advertisements they see. The investigation raised concerns about the potential harmful effects of such extensive data gathering on minors.
TikTok responded by pledging to introduce enhanced measures to better protect Canadian users and improve transparency about data collection practices. “While we disagree with some of the findings, we remain committed to maintaining strong transparency and privacy practices,” a company spokesperson stated. The platform indicated that Canadian regulators had accepted several of its proposed safeguards.
During the investigation, TikTok implemented some changes to its privacy practices, including prohibiting advertisers from targeting individual users under 18, except based on generic categories such as language and approximate location. Investigators expressed satisfaction with certain modifications made by the company.
The probe, launched in early 2023, examined whether TikTok’s practices comply with Canadian privacy legislation. The investigation adds to mounting global scrutiny of the Chinese-owned application, which faces persistent concerns over privacy and national security across multiple jurisdictions.
International regulatory pressure on TikTok has intensified significantly. The European Commission in 2023 ordered staff to remove the application from official devices to enhance cybersecurity measures. In the United States, ongoing discussions continue regarding the app’s ownership structure and operational practices.
Canada has taken additional measures against TikTok beyond the privacy investigation. The government ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian operations in late 2024, though Canadian users can still access the platform. Privacy Commissioner Dufresne is scheduled to appear before a parliamentary committee studying this decision on December 10.
The investigation highlights broader challenges facing social media platforms in protecting children’s data while maintaining business models dependent on user information. The findings come as governments worldwide grapple with regulating platforms that collect extensive personal data from users across all age groups.
TikTok and Beijing have consistently denied allegations of data misuse or security risks. However, the Canadian investigation provides concrete evidence of gaps in child protection measures, potentially informing similar regulatory reviews in other jurisdictions.
The privacy commissioners indicated they will continue monitoring TikTok’s implementation of agreed-upon measures to ensure adequate protection for Canadian users, particularly minors accessing the platform.
