TikTok will launch deploying a new age-detection system across Europe in the coming weeks, the company informed Reuters on Friday. The relocate comes as the platform faces regulatory pressure to better identify and rerelocate accounts belonging to utilizers under the age of 13.
The system, tested in a year-long pilot in Britain, analyses profile information, posted videos, and utilizer behaviour to predict if an account may be underage. Accounts flagged by the technology will be reviewed by specialist moderators rather than being automatically banned. According to TikTok, the UK pilot led to the removal of thousands of additional under-13 accounts.
The rollout occurs amid increased scrutiny from European authorities over how social platforms verify utilizers’ ages under strict data protection rules. It follows broader regulatory trfinishs, including Australia’s ban on social media for utilizers under 16 and similar legislative pushes in Denmark and the European Parliament.
Separately, a US state judge in Delaware is set to hear TikTok’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the parents of five British children who died allegedly while performing online challenges, adds the Reuters report. The lawsuit claims TikTok’s algorithms promoted dangerous content to underage utilizers. A TikTok spokesperson expressed sympathy for the families and stated the company prohibits content that encourages dangerous behaviour.
For age verification appeals in Europe, TikTok will utilize methods including facial-age estimation from the provider Yoti, credit card checks, and government ID. The company stated the new technology was built specifically to comply with European regulations and that it worked with Ireland’s Data Protection Commission during development, further adds the report.
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