DPC launches TikTok China data-transfer probe
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has announced the start of an inquiry into TikTok’s transfers of personal data of European Economic Area (EEA) users to servers located in China.
This move follows revelations from TikTok in April that EEA user data had been stored on servers in China, contrary to the company's previous claims.
Earlier in 2025, during a separate inquiry, TikTok had asserted that EEA user data was not stored in China, but instead accessed remotely by TikTok staff from within China.
Housed
At the time, the DPC did not consider the issue of TikTok’s storage of EEA data on servers in China, as the company maintained that data was housed outside the country.
However, TikTok informed the DPC of the data storage issue in April, revealing that a limited amount of EEA user data had indeed been stored on Chinese servers since February 2025, contradicting the company's previous statements.
In response, the DPC expressed significant concern over the inaccurate information provided by TikTok during the earlier inquiry, emphasising the seriousness of the matter.
After consultations with other European data-protection authorities, the DPC has now opened a new inquiry to investigate whether TikTok has complied with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The inquiry will focus on whether the transfers of EEA user data to China are in line with the provisions of the GDPR, particularly those outlined in Chapter V, which governs the transfer of personal data to third countries.