Ofcom opened an investigation into TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited on 16 July 2026 to determine whether the platform has failed to meet its obligations under section 12 of the Online Safety Act 2023.
The duties, which took effect on 25 July 2025, require user-to-user services to deploy proportionate systems that prevent children from encountering primary priority harmful content. They further demand highly effective age assurance capable of correctly identifying whether a user is a child and blocking access to such material.
Central to the inquiry is the effectiveness of TikTok's age verification and age inference technologies. Ofcom has previously expressed concerns that certain age checking methods deployed across social media fall short. Its earlier reviews documented instances in which children encountered harmful content on the platform.
The investigation will first gather evidence, a process expected to last at least three months before an update in October 2026. It does not presuppose any finding of breach. Should non-compliance be established, outcomes could include fines of up to 10 per cent of qualifying worldwide revenue or £18 million, whichever is higher, or court orders.
Ofcom stated that the probe will seek to establish whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that TikTok has failed, or is failing, to comply with its legal obligations including by using age assurance that is highly effective at correctly determining whether or not a particular user is a child.
Kate Davies, Ofcom's group director for strategy and research, said in remarks tied to the announcement: This is where TikTok comes in. We found that some method of age checks being used by social media are not working well enough.
