Brazil has hit TikTok with one of the country’s biggest penalties against a social media platform, fining its parent company ByteDance R$153.7 million — approximately US$30 million — over failures involving the personal data of children and teenagers.

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) announced the penalty on August 25 following a years-long investigation into how TikTok collected and processed information belonging to young users.

The regulator estimates that at least eight million children and teenagers may have had their personal data improperly processed because TikTok’s age-verification systems were not effective enough.

That figure represents roughly 20% of Brazil’s children, according to Brazilian reporting citing the regulator.

What Did TikTok Do Wrong?

Brazilian authorities identified problems with two different ways people could access TikTok: through registered accounts and through TikTok’s so-called “logged-out feed,” which allowed people to browse videos without creating an account.

According to the ANPD, TikTok failed to establish an adequate legal basis for processing children’s and teenagers’ personal information and did not implement sufficient measures to prevent minors from accessing parts of the platform.

The logged-out experience was a particular concern because users could access TikTok content without going through adequate age verification.

Regulators also found problems with how TikTok handled information from teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18.

The investigation resulted in findings of five separate violations of Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD).

TikTok Ordered to Delete Data

The punishment goes beyond the nearly $30-million fine.

Brazil has ordered ByteDance to delete personal information that was collected improperly and implement a major compliance plan designed to strengthen protections for young users.

Among the changes, accounts belonging to users under 16 will automatically receive TikTok’s most restrictive privacy settings, with parental authorization required to change certain settings.

TikTok must also strengthen parental supervision tools.

For people accessing TikTok without an account, the platform will face additional restrictions, including suspending advertising, limiting the experience to age-appropriate content and reducing the amount of personal data being processed.

Teenagers between 13 and 18 whose accounts do not have properly validated parental or legal representation could also have their data deleted if the issue isn’t corrected within the required period.

TikTok Responds

ByteDance has pushed back against the decision.

The company says the penalty relates primarily to practices dating back to 2021 and argues that Brazilian regulators did not adequately consider changes TikTok has introduced since then, including a compliance plan approved in 2025.

The company can appeal the decision.

However, Brazil’s regulator says the size of the penalty is intended to send a clear message to major technology companies operating in the country: protecting children online isn’t optional.

Brazil Is Getting Tougher With Social Media Giants

The TikTok decision is part of a much larger shift happening in Brazil.

The country has become increasingly aggressive in regulating major social media and technology platforms, particularly when issues involve children, privacy, misinformation and compliance with Brazilian law.

The ANPD is also examining other digital platforms as Brazil introduces tougher requirements surrounding children’s access to online services.

For TikTok — one of the most influential platforms for music, culture and entertainment among young people across Latin America — the consequences could be significant.

A nearly US$30-million fine is substantial.

But the bigger story may be the precedent Brazil is setting: global social media companies that want access to millions of Brazilian users will increasingly have to play by Brazil’s rules.