The €530 million fine handed down to TikTok by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) is a stark reminder to social media companies that they will pay a very high price for breaching their users’ GDPR rights, according to Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney.
Deputy Gibney, who is the party’s spokesperson on digitalisation, said:
“Our personal data is in the hands of private companies so it is vital that our laws and regulations can robustly defend our rights to privacy and protection of that data.
“While the transfer of data outside the EU in a non-compliant manner is a huge cause for concern, the imposition of this significant fine today against the video-sharing app is very welcome.
“This case, which centres on the transfer of European TikTok users’ personal data to China, highlights the need for these regulations and to properly resource enforcement bodies like the DPC.
“As Ireland is a global tech hub, we need to be able to hold companies to account and ensure compliance, particularly on platforms that have so many users under the age of 18.”
May 2, 2025