Tech firms face fines over child data rules

TECH giants face large fines if they fail to follow new child data and privacy protection measures that come into full force today.

The Age Appropriate Design Code sets out 15 standards that companies are expected to build into any online services used by children, making data protection of young people a priority from the design up.

These can stretch from apps and connected toys to social media sites and online games, and even educational websites and streaming services.

Location tracking, profiling, and use of nudge techniques that encourage users to provide unnecessary personal data, are among the features that must be switched off or limited.

The Information Commissioner, whose office devised and will enforce the rules, said the move was not about “age-gating” the internet nor “locking children out”.

“The internet was not designed with children in mind and I think the Age Appropriate Design Code will go a long way to ensure that kids have the right kind of experience online,” Elizabeth Denham told the PA news agency.

“I think it will be astonishing when we look back to ever think of a time when we didn’t have protections for children online because I think they need to be protected in the online world in the same way that they’re protected in the offline world.”

As the code is based on the General Data Protection Regulations, companies risk being fined up to £17.5m or 4% of their annual worldwide turnover, whichever is higher, for serious failures.