May 3, 2025 1:12 pm
Full News

TikTok Fined €530 Million by the European Union

The popular video-sharing platform TikTok has been fined €530 million (approximately $600 million) by the European Union for transferring EU citizens’ personal data to China. The platform has been accused of failing to safeguard this data from Chinese authorities.

According to AFP from Dublin, an investigation by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) revealed that TikTok initially denied but later admitted that some data of European users had been hosted in China. This led to one of the largest fines ever imposed by the EU.

DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle stated that TikTok failed to demonstrate, verify, and ensure that the data accessed remotely by employees based in China was protected to the same level guaranteed by EU standards. He further noted that TikTok acknowledged being subject to Chinese anti-terror and anti-espionage laws, which deviate from EU standards and could allow Chinese authorities to request user data — a risk TikTok did not address adequately.

TikTok’s European representative Christine Graham responded by saying, “The Chinese authorities have not requested access to European users’ data, and we have not provided any. We disagree with the decision and will appeal.”

The DPC concluded that TikTok violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by transferring personal data to China. The platform was also fined an additional €45 million for lack of transparency, as it did not inform users between 2020 and 2022 that their data could be accessed from China.

TikTok has been given six months to bring its data processing activities into compliance with EU law, or face a suspension of data transfers to China.

This penalty is expected to increase pressure on TikTok in the United States as well. In 2024, the US Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its US operations. Although former President Donald Trump extended the deadline, the platform must now be sold by June 19.

TikTok has also faced bans in several countries, including Pakistan, Nepal, and New Caledonia in France, due to concerns over misinformation, violent or explicit content, and opaque algorithms.

In response, TikTok launched the “Clover Project” with a €12 billion investment to strengthen data protection in Europe. The company stated that user data is typically stored in Norway, Ireland, and the United States. However, in April 2025, TikTok admitted that some European data had been stored in China until recently — contradicting its earlier claims.

Related News
A New Dawn for America’s Public Servants: Congress Acts to Reform Social Security Benefits
Tesla Denies Rumors of Searching for Elon Musk’s Replacement
Drone Targets Israeli Prime Minister’s Residence in Caesarea
India’s AI Mission Gains Momentum as DeepSeek Shakes Up the Global AI Landscape
China and Myanmar Dismantle Major Telecom Fraud Centers
Trump Selects Former Fox News Host for State Department Role
Related Posts
Dhaka Stock Market Loses Tk 17,000 Crore in April
Criminal Cases Against 266 Journalists Spark Concerns Over Press Freedom in Bangladesh
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Warns of Hostile Action Over India’s Indus Water Projects
Trump Sparks Controversy with AI-Generated Image of Himself as Pope
India Buying Military Equipment from the United States
India Bans Imports from Pakistan Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
More News

Bangladesh Awami League Rejects the Biased Report by the UN Fact-Finding Mission

In July-August of the past year, a meticulously designed conspiracy involving both domestic and foreign forces led to the overthrow of a democratically elected government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. As part of this meticulous design, hundreds of people were killed. The UN Fact-Finding Mission has now released a report on the incidents surrounding […]

Canada Prepares Firm Response to Trump’s “Unjustified” Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Canada has pledged a resolute response to new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on steel and aluminum imports. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized the tariffs as “entirely unjustified” and a strain on U.S.-Canada relations, already tested by recent trade standoffs. Trump’s tariffs, effective from March 12, set a 25% import tax on these […]

Gaza deal after 96 hours of tense talks: US official

Trump’s envoy Witkopf “pressured” Netanyahu to agree to a deal and then “everything moved fast The long-awaited Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached in Doha after 96 hours of tense talks with the help of US, Egypt and Qatari mediators, a US official said. A senior administration official in President Joe Biden’s administration credited Steve Witkoff, […]

Berlin’s Transformation: From Bohemian Hub to Economic Powerhouse

The Art House Tacheles, once the heart of Berlin’s alternative art and culture scene, symbolizes the city’s transformation. Once a thriving haven for artists after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the five-story building was sold in 2012 and converted into a commercial space, leaving behind its bohemian charm. Berlin’s economy has since flourished, growing […]

Xavier Samuel and Sonal Sehgal Lead in “The Great Departure”

Xavier Samuel and Sonal Sehgal have been cast as the leads in The Great Departure, a film directed by Pierre Filmon, who was nominated for the Camera d’Or. The film is currently in post-production and was shot entirely in India. The script, written by Sehgal during the lockdown, was initially titled Travellers. The plot explores […]

Morocco, Spain, and Portugal to Host 2030 World Cup; Saudi Arabia Secures 2034 Edition

The Voice News Desk In a landmark announcement by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a virtual extraordinary Congress, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal were confirmed as the hosts for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Saudi Arabia was awarded the hosting rights for the 2034 tournament. 2030 World Cup: A Centennial Celebration Across Three ContinentsThe 2030 World […]

Guardiola vows to end relegation form

Manchester City are currently in relegation form and there is little sign of it ending. Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa left them joint bottom of the form table over the past eight games with just Southampton for company. Saints, at the foot of the Premier League, have the same number of points, four, as […]

Biden Strengthens Ties with Japan and South Korea Ahead of Trump Administration

On the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Lima, Peru, U.S. President Joe Biden met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday. This marked their first in-person meeting, aimed at fortifying trilateral relations before the incoming Trump administration, which has sparked concerns about the […]

Palestinian Authorities Suspend Al Jazeera Broadcasts

The Palestinian authorities have suspended the broadcast of Qatar-based Al Jazeera TV, accusing it of airing “provocative content.” According to Reuters, this temporary suspension does not apply to the Gaza Strip, which is under Hamas control and outside the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Wednesday that the suspension […]

Trump Administration Revokes Pentagon Office Spaces for Major News Outlets

Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration notified four major news organizations on January 31 that they must vacate their dedicated office space at the Pentagon by February 14 to make way for other outlets, including right-wing sites Breitbart News and One America News. The affected organizations are The New York Times, NBC News, NPR, and […]