South Korea has fined TikTok and Apple more than $7.7 million after finding that both companies handled users’ personal data without proper legal grounds.
The country’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) said the companies collected, used or transferred personal information overseas without meeting Korean privacy requirements.
TikTok received the vast majority of the penalty. Regulators fined the platform 10.36 billion won, or about $7.6 million, while two Apple affiliates received combined penalties of 252 million won, roughly $185,000.
The decision puts fresh pressure on major technology companies to clearly explain how they collect and transfer data belonging to South Korean users.
TikTok Tracked Millions of Users for Personalised Ads
The PIPC found that TikTok collected behavioural data from around 9.45 million South Korean users.
According to regulators, TikTok placed tracking tools on third-party websites and mobile apps as part of its advertising and content-performance services. These tools collected information including clicks, purchases, browsing activity and device identifiers.
TikTok then linked the data to users’ accounts to support personalised advertising.
However, the PIPC said TikTok did not clearly explain this collection when users created an account. Instead, the platform reportedly presented data collection as a mandatory condition of signing up.
Regulators also found that TikTok failed to give users sufficient information about overseas data transfers. The company disclosed that it shared information with affiliates, but it did not clearly identify the types of personal data transferred abroad.
The PIPC based TikTok’s fine partly on revenue generated from personalised advertising that relied on the behavioural data.
Apple Used Siri Recordings and Transcripts
Apple faced separate findings related to data gathered through Siri.
The PIPC said Apple collected Siri voice recordings and transcripts until August 2019 to improve speech recognition and search features without obtaining separate user consent.
Apple introduced an opt-in system for voice recordings in October 2019. However, the regulator found that the company continued to use text transcripts from Siri interactions to improve services without a valid legal basis.
The commission also said Apple transferred Siri-related data to its US headquarters without adequately explaining what information it sent overseas or why the transfer was necessary.
Apple Reduced Its Fine With Privacy Changes
Regulators lowered Apple’s penalty after the company introduced privacy measures during the investigation.
Apple now allows users to decide whether they want Siri transcripts shared for service improvement. The company also added tools that let users filter personal information from transcripts and updated its privacy policy.
The PIPC noted that Siri is a free service, which made it harder to calculate revenue directly connected to the violations.
Apple said it accepts the regulator’s decision and will continue cooperating with the Korean government on privacy protection.
South Korea Warns Global Tech Companies
Alongside the fines, the PIPC issued corrective orders and required TikTok and Apple to publicly disclose the violations.
The regulator said global companies must meet the same privacy standards as domestic businesses when handling South Korean users’ data. It also stressed that companies need to protect personal information transparently as data moves across borders.
TikTok said it will review the ruling once it receives the official decision. The company added that protecting user information remains one of its highest priorities.
The TikTok and Apple data transfers case shows that South Korea is prepared to impose significant penalties when global platforms fail to meet local privacy rules.
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