TikTok was fined 530 million euros ($600 million) by Irish regulators for violating the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation by improperly transferring European user data to China. The Irish Data Protection Commission highlighted that TikTok's data handling practices exposed user information across the EU to potential access by Chinese authorities, citing inadequate safeguards. TikTok, owned by ByteDance, plans to appeal the decision and claims compliance with EU laws, asserting no data requests or transfers to Chinese authorities have occurred. The company is under pressure from both EU and US regulatory bodies, with the latter considering a forced sale or ban in the US market. TikTok criticized the ruling, warning it could have significant implications for global businesses operating in Europe, and noted its recent efforts to enhance data protection within the EU, including the construction of a data center in Finland.

The Irish Data Protection Commission fined TikTok 530 million euros for transferring European user data to China, violating the EU's General Data Protection Regulation.

TikTok's data protection measures were deemed insufficient, potentially allowing the Chinese government access to user data under their antiterrorism and anti-espionage laws.

Despite TikTok's claims of compliance with EU laws and no data requests from Chinese authorities, the company plans to appeal the ruling, which may lead to a prolonged legal dispute.

The decision adds to TikTok's challenges, as the US government considers measures to force ByteDance to sell the platform to a non-Chinese entity or face a ban in the US.

TikTok's statement highlighted its recent 12 billion euro initiative to secure EU user data, including building a data center in Finland, and warned the ruling could set a precedent affecting global businesses in Europe.

Irish regulators pointed out TikTok's discovery of some user data stored in China, contradicting the company's previous assurances that no such data storage occurred.

TikTok's European headquarters are located in Ireland, making the Irish Data Protection Commission the main regulatory body overseeing its compliance with EU data laws.