U.S. Justice Department and FTC Sue TikTok Over Children's Privacy Violations

The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission have filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, for failing to protect children's privacy. The suit claims TikTok collected personal information from children without parental consent, violating federal law. TikTok has been cooperating with the FTC but expressed disappointment over the litigation.

The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission have initiated a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, accusing them of failing to protect children's privacy on the social media platform.

The government alleges TikTok breached a federal law prohibiting the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. According to the DOJ, TikTok knowingly allowed children to create regular accounts and share videos and messages, collecting their personal information without parental approval.

In March, a source told Reuters the FTC could resolve their probe into TikTok's privacy and data security practices through either a lawsuit or a settlement. This follows a 2020 report that both the FTC and the DOJ were investigating TikTok's adherence to a 2019 agreement to protect children's privacy.

TikTok, with approximately 170 million U.S. users, is also challenging a new law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets by January 19 under threat of a ban. The platform previously faced fines from the EU and UK over its data handling practices for children.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed a bill extending COPPA protections to teenagers up to age 17, banning targeted ads to this group, and allowing parents and teenagers to delete their information from social media platforms. For this bill to become law, it needs approval from the Republican-controlled House, currently on recess until September.

TikTok stated in June that it has been collaborating with the FTC for over a year to address concerns, expressing disappointment over the agency's decision to pursue litigation instead of a mutually agreeable resolution.