The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the popular social media app of illegally collecting personal information from millions of American children. The suit alleges that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by knowingly allowing children under 13 to create accounts without parental consent and refusing to delete these accounts upon parental request.
DOJ spokesman Benjamin Mizer highlighted the severity of the issue, stating, “The DOJ is deeply concerned that TikTok has continued to collect and retain children’s personal information despite a court order barring such conduct in 2019. With this lawsuit, the Department seeks to ensure that TikTok honors its obligation to protect children’s privacy rights.”
TikTok’s “Kids Mode,” which is intended for younger users, allegedly still collects and stores personal data such as email addresses. TikTok has denied the allegations, with spokesman Michael Hughes asserting, “We disagree with these 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.”
This lawsuit coincides with ByteDance’s requirement to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese buyer by January 2025, or face a complete ban in the U.S., following a law passed with bipartisan support and signed by President Joe Biden. The app has faced scrutiny for privacy and national security concerns, with critics from both political parties raising alarms.
As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for TikTok’s operations in the U.S. and broader issues of data privacy and security.
