On Thursday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the popular social media platform of violating children’s privacy and state laws by sharing minors’ personal identifying information without obtaining consent from their parents or legal guardians.
The lawsuit targets TikTok’s practices under Texas’s Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE Act), seeking both an injunction to halt these actions and civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation.
Paxton asserts that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, fails to provide adequate tools for parents to manage their children’s privacy and account settings.
Notably, he highlights that the platform allows information to be shared from accounts designated as “private” and engages in targeted advertising aimed at young users.
In his statement, Paxton emphasized the need for accountability among TikTok and similar large tech companies.
He argued that they are exploiting Texas children by neglecting their safety and privacy online. The lawsuit was officially filed in a state court located in Galveston County, Texas.
As of now, TikTok has not issued a response to the lawsuit or addressed the allegations made by the Texas Attorney General. This legal action adds to the growing scrutiny faced by social media platforms regarding the protection of minors in the digital space, reflecting increasing concerns over how children’s data is handled and the implications for their safety online.
