TikTok’s Privacy Practices Inadequate For Children Conclude Canadian Privacy Commissioners

On September 23, 2025,  the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and its provincial counterparts in Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta (collectively, the Commissioners) released the findings of their joint investigation into TikTok, a popular video-sharing app. The investigation concluded that TikTok had inadequate measures in place to stop children from accessing the platform; and prevent the collection and use of their sensitive personal information for profiling and targeting purposes.

Despite TikTok’s terms of use prohibiting users under 13 (14 in Quebec) from accessing the platform, TikTok knowingly allowed hundreds of thousands of Canadian children annually to access its platform. TikTok collected and used sensitive personal information from these children, including for advertisement targeting and content recommendations. Some of the information TikTok collects include:

• Profile Information. Email addresses, phone numbers, and biographical details.
• Device Information. IP addresses, mobile device information, and operating systems.
• Biometric Information. Personal information derived from visual inputs and audio analytics.
• Engagement. Viewing history, sharing of content, and search activity.
• Contacts: Device contact lists and connections from other social media platforms.

The investigation also found that TikTok did not adequately explain its data practices to both teen and adult users; or obtain meaningful consent for the collection and use of data, as required under Canadian privacy laws.

In response, TikTok completed or has committed to completing the following:

1. Strengthen and enhance privacy communications by providing clearer explanations of its privacy practices, especially regarding targeted advertising, content personalization and use of biometric information. This also includes, among other things, publishing a new plain-language summary for its privacy policies for teens and adding French versions of privacy policies to support meaningful consent from francophone users.
2. Enhance age-assurance methods to keep children off its platform.
3. Restrict targeted advertising for users under 18 other than according to generic data (e.g., language and approximate location).

To ensure these commitments are implemented in a proportionate, effective, and timely manner, TikTok agreed to various related commitments, including providing monthly updates to the Commissioners until all commitments have been fulfilled.

A full summary of the joint investigation findings can be found here.

Summary By: Victoria Di Felice