Reddit has been fined £14.47 million by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office after the regulator said the platform unlawfully processed children’s personal information and failed to properly verify the age of its users, which it said exposed young people to inappropriate and harmful content.
Regulator’s Decision And Scope Of The Case
The ICO said the fine covers failures between 5 May 2018 and 8 July 2025, a period during which it concluded Reddit processed the data of children under 13 without a lawful basis. John Edwards, the UK Information Commissioner, said it was concerning that a company of Reddit’s size did not meet its legal duties to protect children’s personal information.
The regulator said online services likely to be used by children must ensure that the way they collect and use data does not expose young users to risks. Edwards said that requires companies to be confident they know the age of their users and to have effective age assurance measures in place, and said Reddit did not meet those expectations.
Age Checks And The Online Safety Act
On 8 July 2025, Reddit began verifying the age of users to comply with the Online Safety Act. The ICO said the platform had previously relied on users self-declaring their age when opening an account, a method it described as easy to bypass, and said it would continue to monitor how the company applies its new controls.
The ICO said its investigation into Reddit began last March alongside probes into TikTok and image-sharing site Imgur over concerns about the handling of children’s data. On Tuesday, the regulator said that although Reddit’s terms of service state that under-13s are not allowed on the site, its own estimates suggested there were a large number of children under 13 using the platform.
Under UK law, companies must take additional care when collecting and using data from children because they may be less aware of associated risks. The ICO said Reddit must improve and said it is still reviewing the age assurance measures the company has introduced.
Reddit’s Response And Appeal Plan
In a statement, Reddit said it did not require users to share identity information, regardless of age, because of what it described as a commitment to privacy and safety. A company spokesperson said the ICO’s position that Reddit should collect more private information from every UK user was counterintuitive and at odds with that approach, and said the company intends to appeal the decision.
Impact Of The Online Safety Act And Platform Limits
When the Online Safety Act’s age verification requirements took effect in July 2025, Reddit restricted access for users who had not verified their age. Those users were limited in their ability to view parts of the service, including some profiles and subreddits that contain adult material.
The ICO said it will continue to work with Ofcom, which enforces the Online Safety Act, to coordinate efforts to protect children and their data online. Ofcom has recently fined several providers of pornographic websites for failing to put proper age checks in place and issued its largest fine under the Act to date on Monday.
Market Position And Regulatory Scrutiny
Reddit’s audience in the UK has grown in recent years. Ofcom ranked it as the 12th most visited site overall and the fourth most visited social media platform in the country in 2025.
Social media analyst Matt Navarra told the BBC that recent actions by the ICO and Ofcom show a combined regulatory approach, with one body focusing on children’s data and design standards and the other pushing for age assurance under online safety rules. He said the fine also signals a change in how regulators view Reddit, with the platform being treated as a major social service with corresponding responsibilities.
Featured image credits: Newman Web Solutions
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