DOJ and FTC Sue TikTok, ByteDance for Violating Child Privacy Laws Affecting Millions

Aug 2, 2024, 06:48 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance on Friday, alleging widespread violations of children's privacy laws. The lawsuit claims that TikTok illegally collected personal data from millions of children under the age of 13 without parental consent, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The DOJ asserts that TikTok knowingly allowed children to create accounts and interact with adults on the platform, thereby exposing them to adult content. Furthermore, the lawsuit indicates that TikTok failed to comply with a 2019 court order related to handling children's information. This legal action follows an FTC investigation that found TikTok repeatedly violated privacy protections for minors. The lawsuit underscores the ongoing tension between U.S. authorities and the Chinese-owned social media app regarding data privacy and security.