Irish Watchdog Orders TikTok to Stop Sending User Data to China

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has hit TikTok with a massive €530 million ($601 million) fine for failing to protect European users’ data. The regulator found that the video-sharing app broke strict EU privacy laws by sending user information to China without proper safeguards.

What TikTok Did Wrong

The DPC said TikTok violated the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in two major ways:

1. Illegal Data Transfers – The company moved European users’ personal data to China without ensuring it was protected as strongly as in the EU.

2. Lack of Transparency – TikTok wasn’t clear with users about how their data was being handled.

The DPC also ordered TikTok to fix these problems within six months and stop transferring European data to China during that time.

Why This Happened

The investigation started in 2021 after concerns were raised about TikTok’s data practices. The DPC found that:

• TikTok didn’t properly check if Chinese laws would allow European data to be accessed by authorities.

• The company gave incorrect information during the probe, claiming it didn’t store European data in China—only to later admit some data had been kept there by mistake.

Although TikTok says it has since deleted that data, regulators are still deciding if further action is needed.

TikTok’s Response

TikTok’s European policy head, Christine Grahn, argued that the fine ignores the company’s recent efforts to improve data security, including “Project Clover,” a plan designed to better protect EU user data. She also stressed that TikTok has never handed over European user data to Chinese authorities.

Previous Trouble with EU Regulators

This isn’t TikTok’s first GDPR fine. In 2023, the company was fined €345 million for mishandling children’s data. The latest penalty shows that regulators are keeping close watch on how tech firms handle user privacy.

TikTok now has six months to change its practices or face further consequences.