UK Regulator Fines Reddit £14m for Failing to Implement Effective Child Age Verification Measures

Reddit has been fined more than £14 million by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) following an investigation into the platform’s handling of children’s personal data. The data protection watchdog concluded that the US-based social media company failed to implement effective age verification systems, thereby unlawfully processing the personal information of children under the age of 13.

According to the ICO, Reddit did not apply robust age assurance mechanisms, meaning it could not reliably determine whether users were underage. As a result, the company lacked a lawful basis for collecting and processing children’s data. The investigation also found that Reddit failed to conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) before January 2025 to evaluate and mitigate potential risks to children using the platform.

UK Information Commissioner John Edwards criticized the company, stating that children under 13 had their data collected and used in ways they could not understand, consent to, or control. He warned that this failure potentially exposed minors to inappropriate content and emphasized that companies offering services likely to be accessed by children must implement effective safeguards.

The ICO stressed that relying solely on users to self-declare their age is insufficient when children may be at risk. The regulator is continuing to assess the age assurance measures Reddit has since introduced and urged other technology companies to review their own practices. The fine underscores increasing regulatory scrutiny of online platforms regarding child safety and data protection compliance in the UK.