TikTok £12.7 Million UK Fine: Appeal Dropped Over Child Data
Last updated: September 24, 2026
TikTok has agreed to pay a TikTok £12.7 million UK fine after withdrawing its appeal against a penalty issued by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in 2023.
The original case focused on how TikTok handled children’s personal data and whether it did enough to stop children under 13 from using the platform. The ICO estimated that up to 1.75 million UK children under 13 used TikTok in 2020, even though TikTok’s rules did not allow children that age to create an account.
There is another important part of today’s announcement. TikTok has also withdrawn its appeal against an ICO information notice linked to a separate investigation into how the personal data of 13–17-year-olds is processed in TikTok’s recommender systems. That means the ICO can now continue that investigation.
So, what exactly happened, why did TikTok drop the appeals, and what does the news mean for users? Let’s break it down. Also check our guide on TikTok Shop September Sale.
TikTok £12.7 Million UK Fine: Quick Facts
| Detail | What We Know |
|---|---|
| Company | TikTok |
| UK regulator | Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) |
| Fine | £12.7 million |
| Original penalty | Issued in 2023 |
| Latest development | TikTok withdrew its appeal |
| Historical period | May 2018 to July 2020 |
| Under-13 estimate | Up to 1.75 million UK children |
| Separate investigation | Data of 13–17-year-olds in recommender systems |
| Latest announcement | September 24, 2026 |
The ICO says the £12.7 million penalty is now final because TikTok has withdrawn its appeal against the penalty notice.
Why Was TikTok Fined £12.7 Million?
The £12.7 million penalty was not issued because of something TikTok did this week. The ICO issued the fine in 2023, following an investigation into historical practices.
The regulator said TikTok had committed several breaches of UK data protection law, including issues involving children’s personal data . According to the ICO, its investigation found concerns including:
- TikTok did not carry out adequate checks to identify and remove underage children.
- Children under 13 were using the platform despite TikTok’s own age rules.
- TikTok did not give users sufficiently clear information about how their data was collected, used and shared.
- The regulator said TikTok failed to obtain parental consent even though it should have been aware that under-13s were using the service.
- The ICO said these problems meant users, particularly children, were unlikely to be able to make fully informed decisions about their personal information.
The ICO’s original enforcement page says the penalty was £12,700,000 and related to several breaches of data protection law.
A key point about the date
The underlying conduct relates to the historical period May 2018 to July 2020. TikTok’s latest decision to withdraw its appeal happened in September 2026. Those are two different events and should not be confused.
Why Did TikTok Drop Its Appeal?
The ICO announced on September 24 that TikTok had withdrawn its appeal against the underlying penalty notice. As a result, the £12.7 million penalty notice is now final. The regulator’s announcement also points to an important legal development that came before today’s decision.
In July 2026, the Upper Tribunal rejected TikTok’s argument that the relevant processing was carried out for certain “special purposes”, such as artistic or journalistic purposes. The tribunal concluded that the processing covered by the penalty notice was not processing “for” those special purposes and that the additional preconditions TikTok relied on did not apply.
The Upper Tribunal’s decision was dated July 28, 2026, and was published on GOV.UK on August 4. The ICO welcomed the tribunal decision and said it was pleased that TikTok had subsequently withdrawn its appeals.
TikTok, however, has said it still disagrees with the 2023 decision. A TikTok spokesperson said the case concerns a historical period and that the company has since introduced youth-safety measures.
That distinction matters:
paying the penalty does not mean TikTok is agreeing with every part of the ICO’s original findings.
TikTok’s Two Appeals Explained
Today’s announcement involves two separate matters.
| Matter | What It Concerned | Current Position |
|---|---|---|
| £12.7m penalty appeal | The 2023 data-protection penalty involving under-13 users and children’s data | Appeal withdrawn; penalty notice is final |
| Information notice appeal | Information requested by the ICO about 13–17-year-olds’ data in recommender systems | Appeal withdrawn; investigation can continue |
The ICO specifically says TikTok withdrew both appeals. The second matter is not another £12.7 million fine. It is connected to a separate investigation into children’s data and recommender systems. This is one of the easiest parts of the story to misunderstand.
How Many Children Were Using TikTok?
The ICO estimated that up to 1.75 million UK children under 13 used TikTok in 2020.
That figure came from economic analysis by the regulator. It does not mean that 1.75 million children were individually identified or that every child was treated in exactly the same way. It is an estimate of under-13 usage during the period examined by the ICO. TikTok’s own rules did not allow children under 13 to create an account.
The regulator’s concern was therefore not simply that young people were present on the platform. It was also about whether TikTok had adequate systems for identifying and removing underage users and whether it was handling their personal information lawfully.
What Is TikTok’s Recommender-System Investigation?
This is the other major part of the September 24 announcement. A recommender system is the technology a social media or video platform uses to decide what content to suggest to a user.
For example, if you regularly watch videos about football, cooking or gaming, the system can use signals from your activity to recommend more content that it thinks you may want to watch.
The ICO is investigating how TikTok processes the personal information of 13–17-year-olds in its recommender systems. The regulator opened that investigation in February 2025 amid concerns about young people being served inappropriate or harmful content through recommendation systems.
The ICO also says its research indicates that some children find it harder to stop scrolling when personalised content keeps appearing in their feeds. However, there is an important limit here.
The investigation is ongoing.
Today’s announcement does not establish a final finding that TikTok has unlawfully processed all 13–17-year-olds’ data through its recommender systems. The withdrawal of the appeal simply means the ICO can now continue its investigation because the information notice is no longer being held up by that appeal.
What Did the Upper Tribunal Decide?
The legal background can sound complicated, but the basic point is easier to understand.
TikTok challenged the ICO’s authority to issue the monetary penalty notice on a preliminary legal issue. It argued that some of its data processing fell within “special purposes” under UK law, which would have triggered additional requirements before the ICO could issue the penalty. The Upper Tribunal rejected that argument.
The court found that the processing covered by the penalty notice was not “for” those special purposes. It also found that the relevant parts of the penalty notice concerned the processing of underage children’s data and certain procedural obligations.
The tribunal’s July 28 decision did not decide every remaining issue in the original appeal. It remitted other outstanding matters to the First-tier Tribunal. TikTok’s later withdrawal of the appeal changed the position by bringing the penalty notice to a final point.
What Has TikTok Said?
TikTok has disputed the original 2023 decision. Its response, as reported on September 24, stresses that the case concerns historical conduct covering May 2018 to July 2020 and says the company has since introduced youth-safety measures.
This is an important part of the story because the £12.7 million penalty should not automatically be presented as a finding about every current TikTok practice. The ICO’s position concerns the historical enforcement action, while the separate recommender-system investigation is still continuing.
Does the £12.7 Million Fine Change TikTok for Users?
Is TikTok being banned in the UK?
No such ban is announced in the ICO’s September 24 statement. The announcement concerns the finalisation of the £12.7 million penalty and the continuation of the separate recommender-system investigation.
Does this change TikTok’s age limit?
The September 24 announcement does not announce a new TikTok age limit. The original case involved TikTok’s handling of under-13 users despite its rules not allowing children under 13 to create an account.
Does the fine automatically change TikTok’s recommendation algorithm?
No automatic algorithm change is announced in the ICO statement. The regulator’s separate investigation is examining how TikTok processes the personal data of 13–17-year-olds in recommender systems. That investigation can now continue.
Does the fine mean current TikTok users have done something wrong?
No, the enforcement action is against TikTok’s companies and concerns the platform’s data practices. It is not a penalty against individual users.
TikTok £12.7 Million Fine Timeline
May 2018–July 2020
The historical period covered by the ICO’s original enforcement action. TikTok’s later statement says the 2023 decision relates to this period.
2020
The ICO estimated that up to 1.75 million UK children under 13 used TikTok.
May 2023
The ICO issued TikTok a £12.7 million penalty for multiple data-protection breaches.
February 2025
The ICO opened its separate investigation into TikTok’s use of children’s data in recommender systems.
July 28, 2026
The Upper Tribunal issued its decision on the preliminary legal issue in TikTok’s appeal.
August 4, 2026
The Upper Tribunal decision was published on GOV.UK.
September 24, 2026
TikTok withdrew both appeals. The £12.7 million penalty became final, while the separate recommender-system investigation can continue.
What Happens Next?
The most clearly confirmed next step is the continuation of the ICO’s separate investigation into TikTok’s use of 13–17-year-olds’ personal information in recommender systems. The ICO says TikTok’s appeal had prevented that investigation from progressing. With the appeal withdrawn, the regulator can now continue its work.
What the investigation will eventually conclude is not yet known. It would therefore be wrong to predict another fine, a new restriction, or a particular finding before the ICO completes its work. For readers, the key development to watch is any future statement from the ICO or TikTok about that investigation.
Our Honest Take on the TikTok Fine
From a reader’s point of view, the £12.7 million figure is only part of today’s story. The more interesting point is the difference between the old penalty and the new investigation.
The fine relates to historical conduct examined by the ICO. TikTok says its youth-safety measures have changed since that period. At the same time, the ICO is still looking at a different question involving the data of 13–17-year-olds and recommender systems.
That means readers should avoid treating every part of the story as one single case. There are really three things to keep separate:
- The original 2023 £12.7 million penalty.
- TikTok’s appeal and the legal decisions that followed.
- The separate ongoing investigation into recommender systems and 13–17-year-olds.
That separation makes the news much easier to understand. It also means today’s announcement is not simply about a fine. It is another step in a longer discussion about how social platforms collect and use children’s personal information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is TikTok paying £12.7 million?
The ICO issued the £12.7 million penalty in 2023 following findings of multiple data-protection breaches, including concerns about TikTok’s handling of children’s personal data and its systems for dealing with underage users. TikTok has now withdrawn its appeal, making the penalty notice final.
Why did TikTok drop its appeal?
The ICO says TikTok withdrew its appeal after the Upper Tribunal rejected its argument concerning the “special purposes” legal framework. TikTok continues to disagree with the original 2023 decision, while saying that the case concerns historical practices and that it has since introduced youth-safety measures.
When was TikTok fined £12.7 million?
The ICO issued the £12.7 million penalty in 2023. The penalty became final after TikTok withdrew its appeal on September 24, 2026.
How many under-13 children used TikTok in the UK?
The ICO estimated that up to 1.75 million UK children under 13 used TikTok in 2020.
Is TikTok banned in the UK because of the fine?
The September 24 ICO announcement does not announce a TikTok ban. It confirms the finalisation of the £12.7 million penalty and the continuation of a separate investigation.
What is the TikTok recommender-system investigation?
It is a separate ICO investigation into how TikTok processes the personal information of 13–17-year-olds in its recommender systems. The ICO opened the investigation in February 2025.
Does the investigation mean TikTok has already been found guilty of another breach?
No, the investigation is ongoing. The September 24 announcement says the withdrawal of TikTok’s appeal allows the ICO’s investigation to continue.
Does the £12.7 million fine apply to TikTok users?
No, the penalty was issued to TikTok’s companies. Individual TikTok users are not being fined because of this enforcement action.
What happens next for TikTok?
The main confirmed next step is that the ICO can continue its separate investigation into children’s data and TikTok’s recommender systems. The eventual outcome of that investigation has not been announced.
Final Takeaway
TikTok will pay a £12.7 million UK data-protection fine after withdrawing its appeal against the penalty issued by the ICO in 2023.
The case concerns historical practices, including the use of children’s personal data and the presence of under-13 users on the platform. The ICO estimated that up to 1.75 million UK children under 13 used TikTok in 2020.
At the same time, TikTok has withdrawn a second appeal linked to an ICO information notice about 13–17-year-olds and recommender systems. That separate investigation can now move forward. For users, the most important point is simple: the £12.7 million penalty is now final, but the separate recommender-system investigation is still ongoing.
