Potential U.K. enforcement orders may be implemented against four giant tech firms as part of the efforts of the Information Commissioner's Office to protect online consumers.
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In 2021, ICO rolled out its so-called Children's code to change how social media giants and other tech companies treat kids online.
This new data protection code was specifically created to require apps, games, and websites to develop more efficient privacy protections to ensure that young users are not exposed to harmful content.
Now, ICO confirmed, via its Children's code report, that it is closely probing four tech firms and social media companies.
Possible UK Enforcement Orders Against Four Tech Firms
According to TechCrunch's latest report, John Edwards, the ICO head, confirmed that they are investigating four social media giants, as well as tech firms.
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He added that these companies are household names, which means they are widely used by the public.
"This code makes clear that children are not like adults online, and their data needs greater protections. We'll use our enforcement powers where they are required," said Edwards.
As of writing, online platforms and tech firms being probed are not named yet. But, in November 2021, ICO warned Google and Apple regarding their methods of assessing applications.
Although this is the case, it is still hard to conclude that the search engine giant and the iPhone maker are among the four companies being probed.
The Information Commissioner's Office said they would share further details about their ongoing investigations before September ends.
ICO Children's Code
ICO said that the Children's code is a groundbreaking initiative when it comes to protecting young online users.
Edwards explained that this effort makes it clear that children are very different from adults when it comes to data and online usage.
He added that kids need to be protected more compared to older individuals. If you want to see further details about the Children's code, you can click this link.
Recently, the Twitter shopping feature allegedly brought harmful content moderation risks.
Meanwhile, Instagram users' precise locations are not being shared, as confirmed by IG.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
