TikTok outlines new age‑assurance measures and its contribution to the EU economy

TikTok has outlined some new age‑assurance measures that it’s deploying across Europe, as more EU nations consider higher social‑media age limits. The platform has also provided details of its broader contribution to the EU economy to showcase its benefits.

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Teen‑age restrictions

TikTok says that, soon, it will roll out new measures to ensure that young teens are not accessing the app.

“In the coming weeks, we will begin to roll out enhanced technology in Europe to further support how our moderation teams detect and remove accounts that belong to someone under the age of 13. This follows an initial pilot in Europe over the last year, which led to the removal of thousands of additional under‑age accounts.”

— TikTok newsroom

Soon, TikTok will have more indicators to determine user age and address under‑age usage violations. The updated age‑detection measures will factor in things like profile information, the videos that users publish, and other on‑platform behavior.

“When our technology identifies that an account may belong to someone under 13, it will be reviewed by a specialist moderator who decides whether it should be banned. Like today, everyone has the opportunity to submit an appeal if they believe an error was made.”

— TikTok newsroom

When an error is made, TikTok offers several verification options, including facial‑age estimation (powered by Yoti), credit‑card authorization, and government‑approved ID submission.

In combination, TikTok hopes these enhanced measures will reduce the demand for higher age restrictions, while the EU Commission is still weighing a potential increase in social‑media access (see Social Media Today).

The author doubts that such measures will have a major effect, noting that French officials are already considering a draft bill that would prevent under‑15s from using social media, and similar discussions are ongoing in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Germany. Australia’s test case will be key to driving the next stage, but the platforms may have limited ability to change regulatory trajectories.

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TikTok’s economic contribution to the EU

TikTok has also shared new insight into the platform’s overall contribution to the EU economy, claiming to have driven €31 billion (≈ US $36 billion) in economic value across the EU in 2025.

“This includes €7.2 bn in economic output in Germany, €5.2 bn in France, €3.6 bn in Italy, €3 bn in Spain and €920 million in Poland.”

TikTok says it now has more than 200 million users in Europe (a figure first reported last September), each coming to the platform with a discovery mindset.

“That discovery helps businesses of all sizes turn audience attention into measurable outcomes, from interest through to purchase.”

TikTok reports that it helped more than 6.5 million EU businesses grow across borders and drove €13 bn in economic growth for European SMBs in 2025. The platform also claims to have supported around 52 k creative‑sector jobs in the region.

These statistics are intended to alleviate regulatory pressure and demonstrate the value TikTok brings to the EU, beyond other concerns.

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Outlook

Will the EU Commission ease its focus on TikTok? The author notes that the Commission is likely busy with other issues (e.g., X’s recent non‑consensual nude controversy) but expects continued scrutiny of TikTok. At the very least, regulators will now have more context when assessing the platform’s impact.