The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the popular social media platform TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, alleging widespread violations of children's privacy laws.
See also: Mozilla: TikTok Lite lacks basic security features
The lawsuit alleges that TikTok collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Since 2019, TikTok has also allowed children to create TikTok accounts outside of “Kids Mode” (a version of the app dedicated to children under 13) and failed to implement policies and procedures that would help identify and disable/delete accounts created by children.
The Justice Department claims that this practice exposed millions of young users to “extensive data collection” and privacy risks by allowing them to access content and interact with adult users.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that TikTok and ByteDance were aware of these violations, yet continued to engage in illegal data collection practices.
See also: TikTok fixes zero-day used to compromise high-profile accounts
The Justice Department's investigation into TikTok's data collection practices also revealed that the company failed to delete personal information when parents requested it, a requirement under COPPA.
Additionally, the complaint alleges that TikTok misled parents and users about its data collection policies by failing to provide adequate notice about the data being collected and how it was used.
The Justice Department is now seeking civil penalties and injunctive relief against TikTok and ByteDance to prevent further violations. The TikTok Android app has been downloaded more than 1 billion times, while the iOS has been rated 17.2 million times.
In response to the lawsuit, TikTok said it disagrees with the "allegations, many of which relate to past events and practices that are factually inaccurate or have been addressed."
"We are proud of our efforts to protect children and will continue to update and improve the platform," he added.
See also: TikTok acquisition could cost $100 billion
Children’s online safety and privacy have become a top concern in today’s digital age, as evidenced by the lawsuit against TikTok. As children become increasingly engaged with online platforms, it is important for parents, teachers, and guardians to be vigilant about protecting their personal information. This includes understanding the types of data that websites may collect, the importance of using age-appropriate privacy settings, and being aware of potential online predators. Teaching children not to share personal information, to be cautious with social interactions, and to recognize inappropriate content is vital to promoting a safe online environment.
🔒 Protect your privacy with Proton VPN
Swiss VPN from the creators of Proton Mail — strict no-logs policy, strong encryption, and built-in NetShield that blocks ads, trackers, & malware.
- ✔ No-logs, based in Switzerland (except 14-Eyes)
- ✔ NetShield: blocks ads, trackers & malicious domains
- ✔ Covers all devices — free version available
The link is an affiliate link — SecNews may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It does not affect the independence of our article writing.
Source: bleepingcomputer
