The US government has taken a bold step in protecting children’s online privacy by filing a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging that the popular video-sharing app has been collecting data from young users without their parents’ consent. The lawsuit, filed by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), accuses TikTok of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by gathering personal information from children under 13 without obtaining parental approval.
The suit claims that since 2019, TikTok has allowed children to use the app, collecting and using personal data, including email addresses and other sensitive information, without informing their parents. Even accounts created in the “Kids Mode” intended for users under 13 gathered this information, according to the complaint.
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have been accused of failing to honor requests by parents to have their children’s accounts and data removed and having ineffective policies for identifying and deleting accounts created by children.
The lawsuit comes as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting children’s online privacy. The US government is taking a strong stance against TikTok’s alleged violations, citing the need to prevent the app from collecting and using young children’s private information without any parental consent or control.
This is not the first time TikTok has faced legal action over its data collection practices. In 2018, the US government filed a COPPA-focused lawsuit against Musical.ly, which ByteDance had acquired and merged into TikTok. The case resulted in TikTok taking steps to comply with the Children’s Privacy Act.
TikTok Ban Saga
Meanwhile, TikTok is fighting back against a US law requiring the app to be sold to a non-Chinese company or face a US ban. The app’s parent company, ByteDance, has stated that it has no plans to sell TikTok, leaving the lawsuit as its only option to avoid a ban.
The US government has expressed concerns that ByteDance could use TikTok’s features to undermine American interests and compromise national security. The government has also argued that TikTok’s Chinese parent company cannot claim First Amendment rights in the United States.
TikTok has countered that the law violates its First Amendment rights to free speech and that the government has failed to provide evidence of its claims. The company claims that the ban would silence 170 million Americans’ voices, violating the First Amendment.
The lawsuit is likely to go to the US Supreme Court, with the deadline for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a US ban set for mid-January 2025.
Join our Channel...