Reddit has been fined £14m by the UK’s data watchdog over failures in its child age checks. The regulator said the company did not do enough to verify the age of its users. It said this meant children could be exposed to harmful material online.

The watchdog found that Reddit had weaknesses in the way it assessed and protected younger users. It said the failings related to how the platform handled children’s personal data and applied age assurance measures. The regulator concluded that the steps in place were not strong enough to prevent underage users from accessing inappropriate content.

The fine highlights concerns about child safety on social media platforms in the UK. Companies are required to protect children’s data and reduce the risk of harm. The regulator said organisations must ensure they have effective systems to check users’ ages and safeguard young people online.