Ofcom Opens First Online Safety Act Child-Protection Probe Into TikTok

Ofcom on July 16, 2026 launched its first formal investigation under the Online Safety Act's child-protection provisions, targeting TikTok over age-verification methods that may have failed to identify "a significant proportion of children." The probe concerns Section 12 duties to shield minors from harmful content including self-harm and pornography material. Penalties can reach 10% of worldwide revenue.