TikTok fined €530M after EU user data ends up on servers in China

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has confirmed a fine of €530 million ($600 million) against social media biz TikTok for transferring European user data to China. The DPC announced its final decision Friday following an inquiry into the lawfulness of TikTok's transfers of personal data from users of the video-based …

[IGotOut]

See the Chinese do copy the US!

"We disagree with the findings as that was like 2 years ago dude, so no need to fine us."

I'm going to go on a bank robbery spree, hide for a couple of years then go "Your honour, that was then. I'm so much better now, so just let me off, yeah?"

[dipole]

Cost of doing business

[Potemkine!]

I guess TikTok has no entity in Ireland for tax evasion ? Generally DPC isn't that harsh when it is about fining corporations with an Irish subsidiary

[UnknownUnknown]

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/03/06/qa-tiktok-job-losses-what-does-it-mean-for-ireland/#:~:text=TikTok%20opened%20its%20base%20in,Europe%20would%20be%20located%20here.

[Tron]

Tax fines.

Trying to make up for their declining economies. GDPR is a con. More of my personal information appears on most of the labels on the front of the parcels I receive, by government mandate.

[monstoor]

Re: Tax fines.

I'm wondering how you expect parcels to reach you, if labels didn't contain your personal information?

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Tax fines.

"More of my personal information appears on most of the labels on the front of the parcels I receive, by government mandate."

There's no law stating that so it's not Gov. mandated. Why don't you try sending a parcel to yourself without any of your "personal information" on it and report back to us what happens? I'm pretty sure you won't end up in court, be issued a fine of any kind or any other form of Gov. approved legal sanctions.

[goblinski]

Re: Tax fines.

"...And don't trust the phone companies - THEY HAVE YOUR NUMBER !!!..."

Ah, the joys of Radio Mirror Park...

[Tubz]

Doesn't matter in no data breach, TikTok broke the law and must now pay the fine, simple as, no appeal and escape clause from Irish regulator !

[ecofeco]

Well huh

Odd that people who were warning about this were... right all along.

WHOCOULDAKNOWED?

[cjcox]

China is your best friend

I'm sure this was a one time isolated incident.

[itsborken]

I am floored

Who could have foreseen this? Good thing TikTok has no ties to the CCP and their security teams/hackers. That might be concerning, but, nothing to worry about here.

[CowHorseFrog]

if its wrong for Tiktok to take data back to China, then it shoudl be equally wrong for other social media companies like FB.

Fine the hell out of them all.

[John Brown (no body)]

Yeahbut FB et al are not taking your data and storing it China. It's safely stored in the custody of one our greatest allies who would never abuse that trust.

[BinkyTheMagicPaperclip]

Good luck on appealing..

Tiktok may have had an all singing and dancing privacy implementation since 2023, but that's not really useful when GDPR has been in effect since 2018!

Who could have thought that a data slurping app might transmit data to China, blow me down with a feather.

Now all that's next is turning the spotlight on the US properly, I see Meta has been reprimanded for their 'free with tracking or charge' policy which is against GDPR. How about actually enforcing it, and their other blatant violations they only get away with because they're large and can pay lawyers.

[Anonymous Coward]

Symbiosis

You use them.

While they use you.

[Anonymous Coward]

And our governments?

Right now, and maybe a mistake long-term, I am less concerned at China having my data than my own government. My own government is the closest threat that wants to impose digital control via censorship, digital money, removal of rights of protest, keep me at home during bad flu seasons, tax every penny I get, force unsafe medicine and food, and keep me safe by using psyops so that I accept all that.