The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined Reddit £14.47 million (approximately $19.5 million) for the unlawful use of children’s personal information.

The core issues cited include:

• Age Verification Failures: Reddit failed to implement robust measures before July 2025, allowing children under 13 to access the platform.
• Lack of Legal Basis: The ICO determined the company had no lawful grounds for processing underage data and missed required risk assessments.
• Content Exposure: The regulator warned that children were potentially exposed to harmful or inappropriate content without proper safeguards.
• Historical Penalty: This represents the largest fine the ICO has ever issued regarding children’s privacy breaches.

Reddit intends to appeal the decision, claiming that the ICO’s age-verification demands actually conflict with their commitment to user anonymity and data minimization.