Personal Data Protection Authority (KVK Authority) has issued a public announcement regarding the protection of children’s personal data in their use of social media. The KVK Authority stated that it has initiated an investigation into several major social media platforms in order to assess the risks related to the processing and protection of children’s personal data in digital environments. According to the statement made by the KVK Authority, the data processing practices of social media platforms will be examined with the aim of reducing the risks that children may encounter in digital environments and safeguarding the “best interests of the child” principle. In this context, ex-official investigations have been launched into the following platforms: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Discord. Within the scope of the investigation, the KVK Authority will evaluate how these platforms process children’s personal data, what security measures they implement, and whether they comply with their obligations under data protection legislation.
The KVK Authority emphasized that digital platforms must pay particular attention to elements such as lawfulness of processing, explicit consent, data security, and age verification mechanisms when handling children’s personal data. The investigations will include a detailed analysis of the technical and administrative measures implemented by the platforms. KVK Authority also highlighted potential risks children may face on social media, including data breaches, identity theft, and misuse of personal information. In this regard, the KVK Authority called on both platform providers and families to act more carefully and responsibly. In its announcement, the KVK Authority underlined that the primary objective of the ongoing investigation process is to ensure that children can exist in digital environments in a safe, informed, and rights-protected manner. It also stated that developments regarding the matter will be closely monitored and that the necessary administrative and legal procedures will continue to be carried out.