The social network of the moment, TikTok, has just eliminated more than 500,000 user accounts in Italy after the intervention of the sector regulator. The information was advanced today (14) with the removal of the accounts to become effective for half a million minors.
The regulator ordered the company to recheck the age of all Italian users and that, for all users under the age of 13, a blockade be applied. The accounts were promptly deleted from TikTok, without recourse.
Half a million deleted TikTok accounts in Italy
The measure came about following a previous inquiry that will have been carried out between February 9th and February 21st this year. However, the company will have taken the necessary time to analyze the data, carrying out the removals today.
According to the company itself, Italian users were asked about their age. According to the same, a total of 12.5 million accounts registered in Italy were the target of this survey, among which more than 500 000 claimed to be less than 13 years old.
Currently, more than half a million TikTok user accounts have been deleted based on the age criterion. Even though the social network has no way of effectively confirming the user's age, the action will have been taken based on their responses.
Likewise, around 400,000 user accounts were removed on suspicion of being under 13 years of age. In both cases, accounts would be held by minors on this platform.
TikTok will take more steps to block access to children under 13
TikTok said that new measures are being implemented to prevent Italian citizens under the age of 13 from using its application. The measures, so far, are not known, but should be applied gradually and in stages.
We recall the unfortunate case that occurred on January 22, 2021 in which a child under 10 years old, of Italian citizenship, participated in the "Coma Challenge", choking herself with a belt. This fateful outcome put TikTok in the sights of the Italian regulator.
As the TechCrunch publication advances , the Chinese company immediately applied some filters and blockages in Italy after the aforementioned case. More specifically, a temporary block was applied to all users who could not verify their age.
Measures that can be extended to more countries in Europe
As the platform tests the implementation of an " in-app " shopping system , new concerns are raised. At the same time, the company continues to fear new restrictive measures on the part of the United States of America that, on several occasions, threatened to ban the social network.
Wanting to compete with giants like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, TikTok is now more attentive to the well-being of its users. Even so, there are voices in Europe and within the Union, some concerned voices that ask for a firm hand to guarantee the safety and interests of minors.
In summary, we will be able to see new filters and steps to verify the age of users to be applied across Italian borders. These measures are being tested and can be effectively applied in other Europe.
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