It is the largest fine ever handed out by the information watchdog over children's privacy issues.

An investigation by the data protection watchdog found the US company used children's information unlawfully.

A statement from the ICO said Reddit's failings included not checking the age of users accessing its platform, putting youngsters at risk.

It said Reddit failed to:

• Apply any robust age assurance mechanism and therefore did not have a lawful basis for processing the personal information of children under the age of 13.

• Carry out a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) to assess and mitigate risks to children before January 2025.