TNB Tech Minute: TikTok May Be in Violation of EU Digital Safety Rules for Minors

Summary

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WSJ Tech News Briefing

Episode: TNB Tech Minute: TikTok May Be in Violation of EU Digital Safety Rules for Minors
Date: July 24, 2026
Host: Imani Moiz, The Wall Street Journal

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Episode Overview

This Tech Minute episode focuses on three major tech news highlights:

• The European Union's findings that TikTok's privacy settings may violate digital safety rules for minors.
• SAP’s stock surge after a strong earnings report, signaling resilience among European software companies.
• Contemporary Amperex Technology's (CATL) impressive financial performance, driven by rising global battery demand.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. EU Scrutiny of TikTok’s Child Safety

[00:14 – 01:10]

• European Commission Concerns:
  The EU states TikTok might not adequately protect underage users, referencing how minors can set accounts to public—potentially allowing strangers to view and interact with their content.

  • “Minors can currently choose to set their accounts as public, allowing any user to see their content.” (Imani Moiz, 00:26)
  • For 16- and 17-year-olds, content can also be recommended on TikTok’s main ‘For You’ feed.

• Risks Highlighted:
  The regulator warns these settings can expose minors to “cyberbullying and unwanted contact” and lets “strangers [have] a window into a child’s life.” (Imani Moiz, 00:40)

• TikTok’s Response:
  The company claims all accounts for users under 18 are private by default, with over 50 preset privacy and safety features. TikTok states:

  • It “will review the regulator’s findings and that it’s committed to protecting minors.” (Imani Moiz, 00:54)

2. SAP’s Resilient Performance Amid AI Disruption Concerns

[01:11 – 01:43]

• After prior market anxiety over artificial intelligence’s impact on SaaS businesses, SAP's shares rose more than 6% on better-than-expected quarterly results.
  • “SAP, Europe’s largest software company, are [shares] up more than 6% after it reported better than expected results yesterday.” (Imani Moiz, 01:13)
• Highlights:
  • SAP’s “current cloud backlog,” a key metric of future sales under contract, grew 26% at constant currencies (beating estimates of 24%).
  • “The latest in a string of reassuring updates from software companies whose stocks were punished in a freakout over AI disruption.” (Imani Moiz, 01:18)

3. CATL’s Explosive Growth on Global Battery Demand

[01:44 – 02:12]

• Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) reported a 42% increase in first-half profit and a 55% climb in revenue compared to last year.
  • The Chinese company is benefitting from booming demand for batteries used in both data centers and renewable energy projects, counterbalancing softer electric vehicle sales.
• Expansion moves include ramping up a new factory in Hungary and expanding battery-swapping infrastructure across Europe.
  • “Growing demand for batteries using data centers and renewable energy projects, helping offset slowing electric vehicle sales.” (Imani Moiz, 02:00)
  • “Looking to sustain its rapid growth.” (Imani Moiz, 02:11)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Child Safety Risks:

  • “The feature potentially gives strangers a window into a child’s life and… could expose young users to cyberbullying and unwanted contact.”
    (Imani Moiz, 00:39)

• On SAP’s Cloud Backlog:

  • “Its current cloud backlog… grew 26% at constant currencies, above expectations of around 24%.”
    (Imani Moiz, 01:23)

• On CATL’s Global Expansion:

  • “It is also expanding overseas, ramping up production at a new factory in Hungary and growing its battery swapping infrastructure in Europe as it looks to sustain its rapid growth.”
    (Imani Moiz, 02:06)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• EU TikTok Investigation: 00:14–01:10
• SAP Earnings and Market Implications: 01:11–01:43
• CATL’s Financial Growth and Global Operations: 01:44–02:12

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The episode’s concise briefing provides a quick yet information-rich roundup of key regulatory, market, and innovation narratives shaping the tech industry on July 24, 2026.

Transcript

[McKinsey Narrator]

Countless Companies invest in AI tools without tying them to tangible business outcomes. Join McKinsey later to learn how leaders rewire their organizations for sustained impact and value.

[Imani Moiz]

Here's your TNB Tech minute for Friday, July 24th. I'm Imani Moiz for the Wall Street Journal. The European Union has said TikTok may be in breach of the block's digital safety rules for minors. The European Commission said minors can currently choose to set their accounts as public, allowing any user to see their content and in the case of 16 and 17 year olds, have their content recommended through TikTok's for your feed. The regulator said the feature potentially gives strangers a window into a child's life and that the settings could expose young users to cyberbullying and unwanted contact. TikTok says accounts for users under 18 are private by default and include more than 50 preset privacy and safety features. The company said it will review the regulator's findings and that it's committed to protecting Miners Shares in SAP, Europe's largest software company, are up more than 6% after it reported better than expected results yesterday. It was the latest in a string of reassuring updates from software companies whose stocks were punished in a freakout over AI disruption to software as a service providers. The company behind the Concur and Travel expense management platform said its current cloud backlog, a closely watched measure of sales that SAP expects over the coming year based on existing contracts, grew 26% at constant currencies above expectations of around 24%. And the world's largest battery maker reported another strong quarter as demand for energy storage continues to boom. Contemporary Amperex Technology said first half profit jumped 42% from a year ago, while revenue climbed 55%. The Chinese company has benefited from growing demand for batteries using data centers and renewable energy projects, helping offset slowing electric vehicle sales. It is also expanding overseas, ramping up production at a new factory in Hungary and growing its battery swapping infrastructure in Europe as it looks to sustain its rapid growth. And that's your TNB Tech Minute. We'll be back this afternoon with more

[McKinsey Narrator]

AI Transformation is more than a tech initiative. It requires a broader rewiring of human skills and ways of working. Here's Dan Swan, senior partner at McKinsey

[Dan Swan]

one of the biggest unlocks we see is the human being capabilities around the technology. Whereas before you may need to be really good at analysis, now the skill might be how do you prompt these tools to get the right answers and outcomes. And so for us it's a really big priority to help companies to understand how do you need to change the operating model of your organization and change the underlying capabilities of the people that are interacting with the technology? And when you see that all humming together, it can be really, really special.

[McKinsey Narrator]

Discover how McKinsey helps organizations rewire to out compete with [e-mail] TechMoves this content

[Dan Swan]

was created by Custom Content from WSJ, a unit of the Wall Street Journal advertising department.