Reddit Still Under Fire Over Children’s Privacy Violations

Social media platform Reddit is continuing to face major regulatory pressure after UK privacy authorities imposed a massive £14.47 million fine over failures linked to children’s data protection and online safety.

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said Reddit unlawfully processed the personal data of children under 13 and failed to implement effective age-verification systems designed to keep minors away from harmful or age-restricted content.

According to regulators, Reddit relied heavily on self-declared ages, allowing many underage users to access the platform without proper checks. Investigators also found the company failed to carry out a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) focused on risks to children before January 2025.

The ICO stated that these failures may have exposed children to inappropriate and harmful content while their personal information was being collected and processed without a lawful basis under UK data protection law.

UK Information Commissioner John Edwards warned that companies operating platforms accessible to children must introduce “robust age assurance measures” and cannot rely solely on users entering their birthdates manually.

The case is now being viewed as one of the biggest children’s privacy enforcement actions in Europe and is expected to influence how regulators worldwide handle social media platforms, AI recommendation systems, targeted advertising, and youth online safety.

Privacy experts say the crackdown signals a broader global shift toward stricter enforcement of child data protection laws, especially as governments increase scrutiny of platforms using algorithmic recommendations and behavioral profiling on minors.

Reddit has since introduced additional age assurance measures, including verification for mature content in some regions, but regulators say investigations and monitoring are ongoing.