The ICO fined Reddit for not implementing an age verification mechanism, exposing children under 13 to inappropriate content.

The British data protection authority, ICO, opened an investigation in March 2025, concluding that Reddit had not established a robust age verification mechanism, which led to the illegal processing of personal data of children under 13 years old.

Commissioner John Edwards emphasized that they were exposed to inappropriate content, without being able to consent or control the use of their data. Although Reddit prohibits access to children under 13 years old, the platform only began asking users to declare their age in July 2025, without any real verification, which was deemed unacceptable. Reddit announced that it would contest the fine, while ICO also initiated other investigations into TikTok and Imgur. The British government is considering the possibility of banning social networks for individuals under 16 years old.