Overview
- The Information Commissioner's Office found Reddit unlawfully processed children’s data from May 2018 to July 2025 due to inadequate age verification.
- Investigators said the platform relied on easily bypassed self-declaration and failed to complete a legally required data-protection impact assessment.
- The ICO warned that weak safeguards exposed young users to inappropriate and harmful content and estimated many under‑13s were on the site despite a 13+ rule.
- Reddit added UK age checks in July 2025 following the Online Safety Act, but the penalty targets the preceding seven years.
- The company will appeal, arguing tougher checks would require more personal data from UK users, while ICO chief John Edwards urged swift industry improvements.