TikTok has announced plans to roll out a new age-detection technology across Europe in the coming weeks, according to a news agency. The move is part of the company’s efforts to meet regulatory requirements aimed at better identifying and removing accounts belonging to children under 13.
The new system was tested during a 1-year pilot in Europe. It uses profile details, posted videos, and behavioural signals to predict whether an account may belong to an underage user. This step is aimed at strengthening safeguards for younger users on the platform.
Moderation process
Under the updated approach, accounts flagged by the technology will be reviewed by specialist moderators. These teams will assess whether the account violates age rules and take appropriate action.
The move comes as European authorities continue to closely examine age-verification methods. Regulators have raised concerns that some existing systems are either ineffective or too intrusive, especially under strict data-protection rules in the region.
Age verification methods and global challenges
For users who appeal bans, TikTok will rely on facial-age estimation technology from verification provider Yoti, along with credit-card checks and government-issued identification. The company said that despite strong efforts, there is no globally accepted method to confirm a person’s age while fully protecting privacy.
This underlines the wider challenge faced by social media platforms worldwide as they try to balance child safety, user privacy, and regulatory compliance.
Regulatory compliance in Europe
TikTok stated that the new age-detection technology was developed specifically for Europe to meet regional regulatory requirements. The company has been working closely with Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, its lead privacy regulator in the EU, during the development of this system.
As the rollout begins, TikTok will notify its users across Europe about the new technology and how it may impact their accounts.
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