The UK’s data protection authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has levied a significant fine of £14.47 million (approximately $19.5 million) on Reddit for serious lapses in safeguarding children's personal information.

This enforcement action stems from findings that Reddit improperly handled data belonging to children under the age of 13. The ICO’s investigation revealed that the platform lacked essential age verification procedures, allowing underage users to access its services despite clear policies prohibiting such activity.

An in-depth review into Reddit’s compliance with UK data laws and children’s privacy regulations uncovered that the platform failed to deploy effective age assurance controls prior to July 2025. Although Reddit’s terms explicitly banned children under 13 from using the platform, the company did not implement robust mechanisms to verify user ages at registration or during use.

Further scrutiny showed that Reddit did not perform a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) before January 2025. Under UK law, companies providing services accessible to minors are required to evaluate and mitigate privacy risks before launching or modifying their offerings. The lack of such assessments contributed to the failure to protect young users effectively.

Reddit, established in 2005 and based in San Francisco, is a major social network hosting countless user-generated communities called “subreddits.” Its platform enables sharing of content, participation in discussions across diverse topics, from entertainment and hobbies to politics and health.

During the investigation period, the ICO identified that many children under 13 had active accounts. Due to ineffective age verification, Reddit was unable to confidently prevent minors from creating profiles or engaging with content. Consequently, sensitive data—including account details, browsing behavior, and possibly behavioral profiling—was processed unlawfully, exposing young users to potential risks.

The regulator highlighted that these lapses could have resulted in children being exposed to inappropriate or harmful material. While Reddit’s policies stated that users must be over 13, the ICO emphasized that policies alone are insufficient without technical enforcement measures.

In response to concerns, Reddit introduced new age verification features in July 2025, such as age gates for accessing mature content and mandatory age declaration during account creation. Nonetheless, the ICO expressed skepticism about self-declared ages, noting that minors could easily provide false information.

The penalty reflects multiple considerations, including the estimated number of affected minors, the length of non-compliance, the potential harms involved, and Reddit’s global revenue. The ICO’s action underscores the importance of proactive measures to ensure children’s privacy and safety on digital platforms.

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