Reddit Fined £14.5m by UK Watchdog Over Children’s Data
Reddit Fined £14.5m for Failing to Protect Children’s Data
Reddit has been fined £14.47 million by the UK’s data protection watchdog after it was found to have unlawfully processed the personal information of children.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced the penalty on Tuesday, concluding that the social media platform failed to implement adequate measures to verify the age of its users. This failure, the regulator stated, put children at risk of being exposed to inappropriate and harmful content.
“Easy to Bypass” Age Checks
The ICO’s investigation, which began in early 2025, found that Reddit relied on users simply declaring their age when opening an account—a method the regulator described as “easy to bypass.”
While Reddit’s terms of service prohibit users under the age of 13, the ICO estimates that “there were a large number of children under 13 on the platform.” As a result, the regulator concluded that Reddit processed children’s data without a lawful basis, breaching UK data protection laws which require companies to take extra care when handling information belonging to young users.
“It’s concerning that a company the size of Reddit failed in its legal duty to protect the personal information of UK children,” said John Edwards, the UK Information Commissioner. He emphasized that companies must have “appropriate, effective age assurance measures in place” to protect children from risks associated with data collection.
Reddit Responds
In July 2025, Reddit began verifying user ages to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA). However, the ICO stated it was continuing to review these controls and insisted the platform “must do better.”
Reddit has confirmed it intends to appeal the decision. A company spokesperson argued that the ICO’s stance was “counterintuitive,” stating: “The ICO’s insistence that we collect more private information on every UK user is counterintuitive and at odds with our strong belief in our users’ online privacy and safety.”
The company previously stated that it does not require users to share identity information because it is “deeply committed to their privacy and safety.”
Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies
The fine marks a significant moment for Reddit, which has seen a surge in UK users and was ranked by Ofcom as the fourth most visited social media platform in the country in 2025.
Social media expert Matt Navarra told the BBC that the action represents a “two regulator pincer movement,” with the ICO focusing on data protection and Ofcom enforcing online safety laws. He added that Reddit is now being treated “less like a quirky forum site and more like a major social platform with major platform responsibilities.”
The fine comes amid a broader crackdown on tech firms by UK regulators. On Monday, Ofcom issued its largest fine to date under the OSA to a porn site provider for failing to implement age checks to prevent children from accessing adult material.
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