TikTok Global has been fined close to £2 million by Ofcom for providing inaccurate data regarding its parental control features.
After the Chinese video-sharing platform failed to accurately respond to a formal request for information about its "Family Pairing" feature, the British broadcast regulator.
Ofcom added that TikTok’s reply disrupted the publication of its child safety transparency report.
Having launched an investigation into the app, Ofcom revealed multiple failings in TikTok’s data governance processes.
TikTok not only submitted inaccurate data but also delayed informing Ofcom about the errors.
The company did not notify Ofcom for over three weeks after discovering the inaccuracies, forcing Ofcom to remove TikTok's parental control data from its report at a late stage.
TikTok eventually provided accurate data more than seven months after the original deadline.
Despite TikTok's proactive steps to rectify the issue, Ofcom concluded that the company had contravened its duties under the Communications Act 2003.
Suzanne Cater, Ofcom’s Enforcement Director, said: "Ofcom’s job is to scrutinise platforms’ safety features, and gathering information is a critical part of holding tech firms to account.
“When we demand data, it must be accurate and submitted on time. We won’t hesitate to take enforcement action if any company fails to do this."
The fine could be reduced by 25% should TikTok accept the findings and settle the case.