DOJ to File Lawsuit Against TikTok Over Child Privacy Violations

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to file a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging that the social media platform violated the privacy rights of children.

This lawsuit will primarily target issues related to the protection of minors, rather than concerns about misleading adult users regarding data privacy practices.

FTC Investigation and Referral:

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigated TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, for potential violations related to children’s privacy.

On Tuesday, the FTC referred the case to the DOJ, indicating that the investigation provided sufficient grounds to believe that TikTok violated the law and that pursuing legal action is in the public interest.

In 2019, TikTok agreed with the FTC to protect children’s privacy. However, in 2020, Reuters reported that the FTC and the DOJ were investigating claims that TikTok failed to comply with this agreement.

TikTok Response:

TikTok has expressed strong disagreement with the FTC’s allegations and disappointment over the agency’s decision to pursue a lawsuit. The company has adhered to privacy regulations and disagrees with the FTC’s findings.

This lawsuit is separate from ongoing Congressional concerns about the potential for the Chinese government to access data from TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users. TikTok has consistently denied allegations that it shares user data with the Chinese government.

Legal Challenges by TikTok:

TikTok is also challenging a law that requires ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets by January 19, 2024, or face a ban.

In a recent case, ByteDance argued that a ban would be inevitable without court intervention and that divestiture is not feasible from a technological, commercial, or legal standpoint.