This new investigation intensifies the scrutiny facing the Chinese-owned social media platform in Europe, where data privacy regulations are among the strictest in the world.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched an investigation into TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media platform, over the storage of European user data in China, Reuters reports.
In April, TikTok disclosed that some user data had been temporarily stored on servers in China. A month later, the Irish regulator fined the company €530 million over concerns about how it handles the personal information of European users. The DPC noted that certain data had been remotely accessible to TikTok staff based in China.
TikTok is currently appealing the fine, arguing that the DPC's decision could set a far-reaching precedent for companies and entire industries across Europe.
The newly opened investigation will specifically focus on the issue of data storage in China—a matter not covered in the previous probe.
The DPC is the lead supervisory authority for TikTok in the European Union, as the company’s EU headquarters are located in Ireland.
Source: Interfax
