Justice Department Accuses TikTok of Violating Children’s Online Privacy Laws
The Ministry of Justice for TikTok in Washington has filed a lawsuit against the social media platform, accusing it of violating the law by collecting data on young users. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and a 2019 agreement with the Federal Trade Commission.
Allegations of Data Collection and Non-compliance
The lawsuit stems from an FTC investigation that claims TikTok allowed children under the age of 13 to create accounts and interact with adults on the platform since 2019. The Justice Department alleges that TikTok collected extensive data from these children and failed to comply with parental requests to delete their accounts and personal information.
Furthermore, TikTok was accused of adopting inadequate policies to prevent children from creating accounts and to delete them when discovered. The platform’s “Kids Mode” for users under 13 failed to obtain parental consent for restricted accounts, allowing users to bypass age restrictions easily.
Concerns about Data Privacy and Sharing
The Justice Department also raised concerns about TikTok’s collection of information from restricted accounts, including app activity data, device information, and more, combined with persistent identifiers. Moderators reportedly spent only seconds reviewing if a profile belonged to a child, resulting in millions of underage American children using TikTok while their data was collected and retained.
The government claimed that TikTok shared information from restricted accounts with third parties without parental notification, prompting the lawsuit seeking a permanent injunction, civil penalties, and additional relief for past violations.
TikTok’s Response and Ongoing Legal Battles
In response, TikTok stated that it provides an age-appropriate experience with strict safeguards and removes underage users proactively. The platform disagreed with the allegations, citing past incidents that have been addressed or are factually inaccurate.
This lawsuit is the latest development in the ongoing legal battles between the U.S. government and TikTok. Despite having a large user base in the U.S., TikTok faced pressure earlier this year to sell its stake in the platform or risk a ban. President Joe Biden signed a bill requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company to comply, prompting a legal challenge in federal court.
Overall, the allegations against TikTok highlight the importance of protecting children’s online privacy and complying with data protection laws to ensure a safe and secure digital environment for young users.
