Overview
- The ICO found Reddit lacked robust age assurance until July 2025, estimating a large number of under‑13s used the service and were potentially exposed to harmful content.
- Investigators said Reddit failed to complete a required Data Protection Impact Assessment addressing risks to children before January 2025.
- Reddit added age checks in July 2025, including verification for mature content and a birthdate prompt at signup, but the regulator said self‑declaration is easy to bypass.
- Officials said the fine reflects the number of children affected, potential harm, the duration of failings, and Reddit’s global turnover, and follows recent action against Imgur’s owner.
- Reddit plans to appeal, arguing stricter verification would require collecting more user data and undermine privacy, while the ICO prioritizes scrutiny of services relying on self‑declared ages.