TikTok Fined Millions for Allowing Underage Users to Access the Platform in the UK
TikTok has been fined £12,700,000 by the ICO for breaking data protection law, including failing to use children’s information lawfully. Despite the company’s own rules not allowing children under 13 to create an account, the ICO estimates TikTok allowed up to 1.4 million UK children under 13 to access its platform in 2020.
In September last year, British regulators informed TikTok about the investigation and called on the app to update its processes to ensure compliance. This week’s fine announcement marks the conclusion of the investigation, with the ICO aiming to set a precedent with its action.
Back in 2019, TikTok was fined $5.7 million for collecting data on underage Americans who accessed the platform, without parental consent. Due to that penalty, TikTok has implemented new rules requiring all users to verify their age, with users under 13 being redirected to a separate, more restricted app experience, where people cannot view and comment on their clips or DM them.
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Twitter Facing Fines After Failing to Remove Illegal Content in Germany
Germany’s Federal Justice Office (BfJ) has announced a new action against Twitter for allegedly failing to comply with the country’s hate speech laws. Upon receiving a report of illegal content, all social media platforms must respond within seven days, according to Germany’s Network Enforcement Act. Fines of up to 50 million euros can result from failing to meet these requirements under Germany’s criminal code.
The BFJ has stated that “numerous content was reported to the BfJ that was published on Twitter, which the authority considers illegal and, despite user complaints, was not deleted or blocked by the provider within the legally stipulated periods. The fine proceedings initiated are based on this.”
Elon Musk has repeatedly stated that Twitter will comply with local laws, however, it now seems likely that Twitter could be the first social media platform to be fined under the act. Despite claiming that Twitter has done nothing wrong, Musk has recently admitted that he wasn’t aware of the incident and has asked for further information on the matter.
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New YouTube Premium Feature Attempts to Boost Subscription Revenue
YouTube has announced that there will be additional features added to their £9.64 YouTube Premium subscription service within the next couple of weeks, alongside the pre-existing features of ad-free viewing, downloadable clips, and YouTube Music that can be played in the background.
The standout new feature added to the platform is the ability for users to create watch parties via Google Meet so that premium users can watch YouTube videos together with their friends at the same time. This is a feature that both Netflix and Amazon have introduced in recent years which has come as a success, especially for users who have friends or partners who live far away.
Also included in the list of new features added to the subscription is the ability for premium users to continue watching YouTube clips wherever they previously left off, even as they switch between devices alongside launching an enhanced bitrate version of 1080p HD video quality starting on iOS.
Find out more here.
New Tips Shared by Meta Demonstrate the Latest Marketing Trends
Two new video series were launched this week by Meta, both of which offer tips and guidance on how to optimise your ads, based on the expertise of both internal and external experts. The event allowed Meta to sit down with marketing pros from a range of brands, resulting in a new video series called Performance Talks, which focuses on the latest trends and innovations in digital marketing and ad buying.
A variety of experiences from a wide range of industries are presented in this series, including Ben Yahalom from True Classic, Jaclyn Fu from Pepper, and Carly Carson from PMG. A key focus of the series is the use of AI for ad targeting, giving an insight into how these brands see the future of ad targeting evolving in this respect.
Alongside this, Meta has also published a new ‘Ask an Expert’ video series to provide additional guidance on how to get the most out of your Facebook and IG ads. The series features four key employees from Meta, who answer common questions and provide direct insights on best practices.
Find out more here.