So, what happens when one of the world’s biggest social platforms gets caught storing European data in China?
The EU drops a €530 million ($600 million) bombshell—and TikTok is not taking it quietly.
Despite previously denying it, TikTok admitted to the Irish Data Protection Commission that it had, in fact, kept EU users’ data in China.
Whoops. The platform now faces the second-largest fine in EU history.
Regulators say TikTok didn’t do enough to protect that data from prying eyes—especially under China’s sweeping surveillance laws.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle didn’t mince words: TikTok “failed to verify.”
It also “failed to guarantee” that European users’ info was truly safe from potential government snooping.
What’s TikTok’s Response?
“We’ve never handed over data to Chinese authorities,” insisted spokesperson Christine Grahn.
“We’ll fight this decision.”But that might be a tough sell.
The app’s Project Clover, meant to reinforce EU data security, now seems like a clover with a few leaves missing.
Even worse? This mess fuels even more U.S. scrutiny.
Lawmakers are already threatening a total ban if TikTok doesn’t cut ties with its Chinese parent.
In the digital age, privacy is gold—and TikTok’s learning just how expensive that can be.
