TikTok Faces Lawsuit for Violating Children’s Privacy Rights
The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy on the popular social media app. The government claims that TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting personal information from users under the age of 13 without parental consent.
The lawsuit also alleges that TikTok knowingly allowed children to create and share content on the platform without obtaining proper consent from parents. The Federal Trade Commission has joined the lawsuit, seeking penalties of up to $51,744 per violation per day for the improper collection of data.
Despite TikTok’s claims of cooperating with the FTC, the government believes the company has violated children’s privacy rights for years. This latest legal action comes amidst ongoing concerns about TikTok’s data privacy practices and its potential ties to the Chinese government.
In response to the lawsuit, TikTok has expressed disappointment over the litigation and emphasized its efforts to address privacy concerns. The company is currently facing regulatory challenges in the US and other countries over its data handling practices.
As the legal battle unfolds, the US Senate has passed a bill to extend privacy protections for children and teens online, including banning targeted advertising to minors. The bill now awaits approval from the House of Representatives to become law.
Published on 02 August 2024, 20:14 IST