On Friday, the US Justice Department filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, accusing them of failing to safeguard children’s privacy on the widely used social media app, according to Nikkei Asia. This legal action is part of the Biden administration’s broader effort to address concerns about TikTok’s data practices and their implications for national security.
The lawsuit claims that TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from users under the age of 13 without obtaining parental consent. The Justice Department alleges that TikTok “knowingly permitted children to create regular TikTok accounts and collect and retain personal information from these users without parental consent,” Nikkei Asia reported.
The lawsuit comes amid increasing pressure on TikTok, which has around 170 million users in the US, due to a new law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets by January 19, 2025, or face a ban. This lawsuit further intensifies the scrutiny of TikTok’s data practices.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has joined the lawsuit, seeking potential penalties that could reach billions of dollars if TikTok is found liable for the alleged privacy breaches. FTC Chair Lina Khan remarked, “TikTok knowingly and repeatedly violated kids’ privacy, threatening the safety of millions of children across the country.”
According to Nikkei Asia, the FTC is seeking fines of up to USD 51,744 per violation per day, which could total billions if TikTok is held liable.
In response, TikTok has disputed the allegations, stating that many concerns pertain to past practices that are either incorrect or have already been addressed. “We are proud of our efforts to protect children, and we will continue to update and improve the platform,” TikTok said in a statement.
The lawsuit follows a Reuters investigation from 2020 into TikTok’s compliance with a 2019 agreement designed to protect children’s data. The company has also faced fines from the European Union and the UK over similar issues.
In related legislative news, the US Senate recently passed a bill extending COPPA protections to cover teenagers up to age 17, banning targeted advertising to minors, and allowing parents and children to delete their information from social media platforms. The bill now awaits approval from the Republican-controlled House, which is currently in recess until September.