Joint investigation into TikTok highlights privacy concerns related to the collection and use of children’s personal information September 23, 2025 – Ottawa, ON A joint investigation into TikTok by Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne and provincial counterparts in Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta has found that the measures in place to keep children off the popular video-sharing platform and to prevent the collection and use of their sensitive personal information for profiling and targeting purposes were inadequate. Even though the company has stated that its platform is not intended for people under the age of 13, the investigation found that hundreds of thousands of Canadian children access TikTok’s platform each year – and that TikTok has been collecting and using their personal information. Online marketing practices and content targeting can have significant impacts on children’s well-being. Although the joint investigation was focused on children, it also found that TikTok did not adequately explain its data practices to teen and adult users, nor did it obtain meaningful consent for the collection and use of vast amounts of user data, including sensitive data of younger users, as required under Canadian privacy laws. In response to the Offices’ findings and recommendations, TikTok has agreed to strengthen privacy communications to ensure that users, and in particular younger users, understand how their data could be used, including for targeted advertising and content personalization. In addition, TikTok has also agreed to: enhance age-assurance methods to keep underage users off TikTok; and provide more privacy information in French. TikTok made some improvements to its privacy practices during the investigation. This included changes to effectively stop allowing advertisers to target users under the age of 18, except based on broad categories such as language and approximate location. As well, TikTok expanded the privacy information available to Canadian users, in English and French, including setting out the rights of users to access or update the information about them that TikTok holds. The ultimate goal of the joint investigation was to create a safer, more transparent online environment for children, where they feel empowered to exercise their privacy rights and where they can safely explore, learn, and grow without compromising their privacy or security. All organizations subject to Canadian privacy laws must respect children’s privacy rights and design services and products with strong protections for the personal information of children. Prioritizing privacy throughout the lifecycle of a technology, program, or service can help ensure that organizations innovate responsibly, with appropriate data protection that can support users, increase confidence in the service, and ensure compliance with applicable laws. Quotes “TikTok is one of the most prevalent social media applications used in Canada, and it is collecting vast amounts of personal information about its users, including a large number of Canadian children. The investigation has revealed that personal data profiles of youth, including children, are used at times to target advertising content directly to them, which can have harmful impacts on their well-being. This investigation also uncovered the extent to which personal information is being collected and used, often without a user’s knowledge or consent. This underscores important considerations for any organization subject to Canadian privacy laws that designs and develops services, particularly for younger users. As technology plays an increasingly central role in the lives of young people in Canada, we must put their best interests at the forefront so that they are enabled to safely navigate the digital world.” Philippe Dufresne Privacy Commissioner of Canada “Online, digital companies behave like masters of the game. Their design choices and business models set trends and dictate users’ actions and uses. This generates a massive gathering of personal information. However, such a power of influence carries with it important responsibilities, which are not always taken seriously enough. In Quebec, 40% of young people aged 6 to 17 have a TikTok account. Among 6 to 12 year olds, the proportion is 17%. However, the terms of service of this platform provide that young people under the age of 14 should not have access to it. There is no doubt that the company can and must do more to protect them. The joint investigation led TikTok to propose tangible measures to better protect the privacy of young people. I ask digital companies not to wait for direct intervention by regulators before assuming their responsibilities. When designing technology products, companies must put forward safeguards that allow young people to take advantage from the digital environment, while minimizing risks. A reminder to young Quebecers: your personal information is precious. Take back control of the game and be in control of your personal data. I urge you and your parents to always demand the highest level of respect for your privacy.” Lise Girard President of the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec “Every minute of every day, on average, a child in Canada is banned from TikTok for being underage. That is half a million accounts belonging to children who should never have been on the platform in the first place, whose personal information was collected and used in ways they could not meaningfully understand or consent to. Those children’s views about the world are shaped by social media. These developing worldviews have been shaped in ways that they – and the adults that care about them – cannot hope to understand, let alone control. We must break the cycle of scrambling for solutions to privacy violations after the fact. Instead of putting the burden on children and families to navigate these platforms safely, we need to address the source – companies must build age-appropriate privacy safeguards into technology targeting children from the earliest stages of design.” Michael Harvey Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia “Taking actions to protect the privacy rights of children has been front and centre for my office and for other privacy commissioners across the country for some time. This investigation is an excellent example of why we have prioritized this issue. Children on TikTok are being exposed to a wide spectrum of risks and harms that include but go beyond issues of privacy. They are more likely to see video content that is not age-appropriate. They are more likely to receive targeted ads that normalize gambling, increase identity theft, hinder healthy development, foster negative body images or early sexualization, or reinforce gender stereotypes. This is why the next steps are so important. We are encouraged by the measures taken by TikTok to date and the commitments made for the future. That said, we will continue to monitor the situation and work with TikTok to ensure the implementation of the agreed-upon recommendations.” Diane McLeod Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta Related links Media contacts