Because TikTok and its parent firm, ByteDance, failed to protect children’s privacy on the social media platform, the U.S. Justice Department launched a lawsuit against them on Friday.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act mandates that services targeted at children seek parental consent before collecting personal information from users under the age of thirteen. The government claims that TikTok breached this law.
The complaint is the most recent U.S. action brought against TikTok and its Chinese parent firm due to allegations that the latter inappropriately gathers copious amounts of American data for the Chinese government and manipulates content in a way that might endanger American citizens.
The Federal Trade Commission also joined the lawsuit, which claimed its goal was to stop “TikTok’s unlawful massive-scale invasions of children’s privacy.”
According to the DOJ, TikTok intentionally allowed kids to register for regular accounts on the app, make short films, and share them with adults and other users on the main TikTok platform. These kids’ personal information was gathered by TikTok without their parents’ permission.
The United States claims that TikTok “has been collecting and retaining children’s personal information” and that millions of American youngsters under the age of 13 have been using the site for years.
“TikTok intentionally and persistently infringed upon children’s privacy, endangering the security of millions of kids nationwide,” stated FTC Chair Lina Khan, whose organization forwarded the matter to the Justice Department in June.
The FTC is suing TikTok for unlawful data collection, requesting fines of up to $51,744 per violation each day.
After working with the FTC for more than a year to resolve the agency’s concerns, TikTok stated in June that it was “disappointed the agency is pursuing litigation instead of continuing to work with us on a reasonable solution.” The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The FTC and Justice Department are reportedly investigating claims that the well-known social media app violated a 2019 agreement meant to protect children’s privacy, according to a 2020 story from Reuters.
With almost 170 million American users, the Chinese-owned short-video network is presently contesting a new rule that would require ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s American assets by January 19 or risk being banned.
The United Kingdom and the European Union both fined the firm last year for its handling of children’s data.
On Tuesday, U.S. Senate passed a bill that would extend COPPA to cover teenagers up to age 17, ban targeted advertising to kids and teens, and give parents and kids the option to delete their information from social media platforms.
The bill would need to pass in the Republican-controlled House, currently on recess until September, to become law.
(Reuters)
