Justice Department Sues TikTok for Alleged Children's Privacy Violations

The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing it of violating children's online privacy laws. This comes amid an investigation revealing that TikTok allegedly collected personal information from children under 13 without proper parental consent. TikTok contests these allegations, citing improved safety measures.

The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the popular social media platform of violating children's online privacy laws and breaching a previous settlement agreement. The lawsuit, filed in collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), claims that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, failed to obtain parental consent before collecting data from children under 13.

This legal action follows an investigation that revealed TikTok's non-compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The complaint alleges that TikTok retained data on young users and failed to delete accounts even when requested by parents. Additionally, TikTok is accused of sharing children's data with third parties to boost user engagement.

TikTok has denied these allegations, stating that the concerns raised relate to past practices and have been addressed. The company emphasizes its commitment to child safety through age-appropriate experiences, stringent safeguards, and privacy protections.

(With inputs from agencies.)