TikTok (Douyin) has been hit with a record-breaking $600 million ($514 million) fine by the European Union for violating strict data privacy laws, marking the largest penalty ever issued under the EU’s GDPR rules.
Announced by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission on 1 May, the fine accuses the social media giant of unlawfully transferring European users’ data to China and failing to clearly explain its data handling practices.
The bulk of the fine—$551 million—is tied directly to the illegal data transfers, while the remainder penalises Douyin for inadequate transparency.
The social media video platform has denied any wrongdoing, insisting it has never handed European user data over to Chinese authorities. The company plans to appeal the ruling, calling the decision “unjustified.”
The EU has given TikTok six months to bring its operations into full compliance with GDPR standards or face further consequences.
This development adds to the platform’s mounting global woes, with the US issuing an ultimatum for parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok by 18 June 2025 or face a nationwide ban.
