Privacy Violations by TikTok: A Closer Look at the Lawsuit
In a recent lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Justice against TikTok, the popular social media platform is accused of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Let’s take a closer look at the allegations and the implications of this legal action.
The Allegations Against TikTok
The Justice Department claims that TikTok has been knowingly allowing children under the age of 13 to create accounts on the platform since 2019, without their parents’ knowledge or consent. This has resulted in the collection and retention of extensive data from these underage users, in violation of privacy laws.
Furthermore, TikTok is accused of adopting inadequate policies to prevent children from creating accounts and failing to delete these accounts when discovered. The platform’s “Kids Mode” meant for users under 13 has been found to be ineffective, as it does not notify parents or obtain consent for restricted accounts.
Concerns About Data Collection
The lawsuit also highlights TikTok’s practices of collecting information from children with restricted accounts, including app activity data, device information, and mobile carrier information. This data is combined with persistent identifiers to gather personal information from these young users.
The document states that TikTok moderators spend just a few seconds reviewing profiles to determine if they belong to children. This has led to millions of underage American children using the platform for years, with their personal information being collected and retained by TikTok.
Call for Action
The government is seeking a permanent injunction to prevent future violations of the Children’s Privacy Act, as well as civil penalties for past infractions. Additionally, they are requesting any other relief that the court deems necessary in this case.
TikTok has responded by stating that they provide an age-appropriate experience with strict safeguards and remove users suspected of being underage. However, the platform disagrees with the allegations, claiming that many of the issues raised in the lawsuit are either inaccurate or have already been addressed.
This lawsuit is the latest development in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. government and TikTok. With the platform’s large user base in the U.S. and the passing of legislation aimed at addressing security concerns, the future of TikTok’s operations in the country remains uncertain.
