The United States has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the popular app of violating children’s privacy by collecting data without parental consent. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) claim that TikTok breached the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by gathering personal information from users under 13 without proper parental authorization.
FTC Chair Lina Khan stated that TikTok’s actions endangered millions of children by not adequately protecting their data. The lawsuit alleges that since 2019, TikTok has allowed children to use the app and collected their personal information without notifying their parents, even in a “Kids Mode” designed for younger users.
The complaint also argues that TikTok failed to honor parental requests to delete children’s accounts and data, demonstrating ineffective policies for managing child users. The lawsuit seeks to prevent TikTok from collecting and using children’s private information without parental consent.
This legal action follows a similar suit filed five years ago against Musical.ly, which ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, acquired and integrated into TikTok. The previous case required TikTok to adhere to children’s privacy regulations.
The lawsuit also highlights broader concerns over national security. The Justice Department contends that TikTok’s data collection poses a security threat, as ByteDance could be pressured by the Chinese government to hand over user data or censor content. The dispute has escalated, with TikTok arguing that a US law mandating its sale or potential ban by January 2025 violates the First Amendment. ByteDance has stated it has no intention of selling TikTok, making the legal battle, likely heading to the US Supreme Court, the company’s primary means to avoid a ban.
