U.S. Government Sues TikTok for Failing to Safeguard Young Users’ Privacy

The U.S. government has taken legal action against popular social media platform TikTok for allegedly failing to protect the privacy of its young users under the age of 13. In a joint effort, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a civil lawsuit against TikTok Inc., ByteDance Ltd., and their affiliates in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The lawsuit accuses TikTok of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by allowing children under 13 to create accounts without parental consent, collecting extensive data from them, and failing to comply with parents’ requests to delete their children’s accounts and personal information.

Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer expressed deep concern over TikTok’s actions, stating that the company defied a prior court order requiring COPPA compliance. The complaint details TikTok’s alleged actions since 2019, including exposing children to potential risks, collecting data without consent through “Kids Mode,” and failing to remove children’s accounts as requested by parents.

FTC Chair Lina Khan emphasized the importance of protecting children online and stated that the FTC will continue to use its authority to safeguard children’s privacy rights. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief to ensure TikTok upholds its legal obligations.

Consumer Privacy Advocate Paul Bischoff compared this case to previous successful suits against other companies, highlighting the potential for TikTok to face significant fines if found guilty. The DOJ’s lawsuit coincided with similar actions taken by the UK privacy watchdog against social media platforms for violating children’s privacy laws.

The lawsuit against TikTok underscores the importance of enforcing online privacy regulations to protect vulnerable users, particularly children, from potential risks and violations of their rights.