Brazil's national data protection authority has fined ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, nearly $30 million for unlawfully collecting and processing personal data belonging to children and teenagers, affecting an estimated 8 million young users. Regulators found that TikTok gathered this data without a valid legal basis — including through guest browsing sessions that allowed minors to access the platform without registering an account, a feature available in Brazil but not in the United States or Europe. ByteDance has been ordered to delete all illegally obtained data and overhaul its youth-protection systems, though it may appeal within ten days; the ruling is part of a broader Brazilian push to hold social media platforms accountable for the safety of minors online.