The U.S. government has filed a lawsuit against the popular social media platform TikTok, accusing it of repeatedly breaching federal privacy laws concerning children.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have jointly initiated a civil lawsuit, alleging that TikTok has not adequately protected the personal information of millions of underage users.
The lawsuit claims that TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has been collecting personal data from children under 13 without the required parental consent, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The legal action alleges that TikTok has permitted children to use the platform and has collected sensitive data such as email addresses and location information, even from users on the app’s “Kids Mode” feature.
FTC Chair Lina Khan stated, “TikTok knowingly and repeatedly violated kids’ privacy, endangering the safety of millions of children across the country.”
The lawsuit further contends that TikTok frequently failed to comply with parents’ requests to delete their children’s accounts and data, and had inadequate measures for identifying and removing underage users.
This lawsuit adds to TikTok’s legal troubles concerning children’s privacy, following a previous lawsuit against the app’s predecessor, Musical.ly, which was acquired by ByteDance and integrated into TikTok five years ago.
The lawsuit arrives amid ongoing disputes between TikTok and the U.S. government over national security concerns related to its Chinese ownership. A recent law signed by President Biden this year has set a deadline for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide ban.
TikTok has refuted the allegations, asserting that it has measures in place to ensure age-appropriate experiences and that it removes accounts suspected of belonging to underage users. Nonetheless, the government’s action highlights its commitment to holding the platform accountable for how it handles children’s data and privacy.
