The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, alleging violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The suit claims that the popular short-form video platform collects and stores personal data of minors without parental consent and fails to comply with parents’ requests to delete information about their children.
Key Allegations and TikTok’s Response
According to the lawsuit, TikTok allows children under 13 to create accounts without parental knowledge, collecting data such as email addresses, phone numbers, and location information. The platform’s “Kids Mode” is deemed insufficient, as children can still access the standard mode without adequate safeguards.
The Justice Department alleges that, at least until 2020, TikTok did not prevent children from repeatedly attempting to register accounts with different birth dates after being initially rejected for being under 13. This practice allowed underage users to circumvent age restrictions.
TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes responded, “We disagree with these allegations, many of which relate to past events and practices that are factually inaccurate or have been corrected. We are proud of our efforts to protect children and will continue to work to update and improve the platform.” Hughes added that TikTok has implemented features such as default time limits, Family Pairing, and additional privacy protections for minors.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
The lawsuit stems from a 2019 agreement between TikTok and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which required the platform to implement specific measures to comply with COPPA. The Justice Department claims that TikTok has failed to meet these obligations.
FTC Chair Lina Khan stated, “TikTok has knowingly and repeatedly violated children’s privacy, putting the safety of millions of minors across the country at risk.”
The lawsuit also highlights issues with the process for parents to request deletion of their children’s personal data, adds NIXSOLUTIONS. The Justice Department describes the existing process as “convoluted” and alleges that TikTok often failed to comply with these requests when submitted.
The Justice Department is seeking administrative sanctions and a court order to prevent future COPPA violations. We’ll keep you updated on the developments of this case as it progresses through the legal system. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for TikTok’s operations in the United States and may set precedents for how social media platforms handle children’s data privacy in the future.