US Government Sues TikTok Over Alleged Violations of Children’s Privacy Law
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, accusing them of unlawfully collecting personal data from children and failing to adhere to privacy protections outlined in the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The lawsuit, filed on Friday, claims that TikTok has allowed children under 13 to join the platform without parental consent and has gathered their personal information, including email addresses, phone numbers, and location data.
The legal action follows a 2019 settlement agreement in which TikTok agreed to comply with COPPA after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found it illegally collected data from children. Despite the settlement, the Justice Department alleges that TikTok has continued to breach these regulations and the previous court order.
According to the complaint filed in a California district court, TikTok’s “Kids Mode” was supposed to provide a safe environment for children under 13. However, the lawsuit claims that TikTok knowingly allowed these children to access the regular platform and collect their data without adequate parental notification or consent.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit comes amid broader scrutiny of TikTok, including a potential ban in the U.S. and previous allegations of failing to protect young users. FTC Chair Lina Khan stated, “TikTok knowingly and repeatedly violated kids’ privacy, threatening the safety of millions of children across the country.”
In response, TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes dismissed the allegations, describing them as related to outdated practices and asserting that the company has implemented measures to protect children’s privacy. TikTok maintains it has put safeguards in place, including age-appropriate experiences and features like Family Pairing and default screen time limits.
The lawsuit also highlights deficiencies in TikTok’s mechanisms for preventing children from circumventing age restrictions and for allowing parents to request the deletion of their child’s data. The Justice Department is seeking civil penalties and a court order to enforce compliance with COPPA.
