TikTok faces Lawsuit over use of Children Data

April 22, 2021

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Worl’d viral app TikTok and its owner ‘ByteDance’ could face billions of pounds (dollars) in damages in London High Court for illegally obtaining the identities of millions of European children.

Anne Longfield, a lawyer for face an unidentified 12-year-old girl, is leading a class action lawsuit. According to Anne Longfield, child victims could receive thousands of pounds each if the case remain successful.

The lawsuit argued that all children who have used TikTok since May 25, 2018 may have personally identifiable information that ByteDance illegally collected through TikTok for the benefit of unknown third parties.

“Parents and children have the right to know that private information, including their children’s phone numbers, physical location and video clips, is being collected illegally,” Longfield said.

A TikTok spokesperson said that privacy and security are among the company’s top priorities and that it has established policies, processes, and technologies in place to help protect all users, especially teens.

“We believe the allegations are unfounded and we intend to actively defend this accusation,” the spokesman said.

But the plaintiffs, on the advice of the Scott & Scott law firm, argue that TikTok violated data protection laws in the UK and the European Union by processing youth data without the security, transparency, parental consent or interest. legitimate adequate.

The lawsuit requires the company to delete all of the children’s personal information, and says it could run to “billions of pounds” if successful.

In the UK, US-style “opt-out” procedures that automatically link a certain group to legal action are rare if people do not choose to exclude themselves.

The case is put on hold as UK Supreme Court ruling in a case against internet giant Google in relation to the alleged illegal tracking of iPhone users in 2011 and 2012 is awaited.