Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Social media giant TikTok sued by former children's commissioner over 'shady' data collection policy

Social media giant TikTok sued by former children's commissioner over 'shady' data collection policy

Anna Longfield is calling on TikTok to protect under-13s who use the app. Damages in the case could run into billions of pounds.

The former children's commissioner for England has launched legal proceedings on behalf of 3.5 million children under 13 against TikTok.

Anne Longfield has alleged that the social media platform has illegally collected personal data from millions of children since May 2018 - when General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced.

The lawsuit is seeking compensation for millions of potentially affected children, which Ms Longfield said could run into billions of pounds.

The claim argues that TikTok, which was founded by Chinese Company ByteDance, breached data protection rules wilfully, taking children's personal information without warning, transparency or the necessary consent.

It is also alleged that personal data was collected without the knowledge of parents and children.

This is the latest development in the lawsuit against the video-sharing app after the High Court ruled in December that a 12-year-old girl, who was supported by Ms Longfield, could bring the dispute with TikTok anonymously.

TikTok policies in the UK do not allow children under 13 to use the app and those downloading it are asked to input their age when they join.

Figures suggest that many under-13s use the platform.

Ms Longfield said she felt the app's data collection policies, in general, were "excessive for a video-sharing app" but was most troubled by the "collection of data on an industrial scale without either the kids or the parents realising".

TikTok's data collection policy is listed on its website, but Ms Longfield said she felt its practices were "hidden" and "shady".

"In terms of what they take there are addresses, names, date of birth information, their likes, their interests, who they follow, their habits - all of these - the profiling stuff, but also the exact geolocation, that is very much outside what would be deemed appropriate," she said.

"You shouldn't be doing that when it's kids."

Ms Longfield has accused TikTok of being "deliberately opaque" about who has access to data, but notes the company makes billions from advertising revenue generated by providing user information to advertisers.

A TikTok spokesperson said: "Privacy and safety are top priorities for TikTok and we have robust policies, processes and technologies in place to help protect all users and our teenage users in particular.

"We believe the claims lack merit and intend to vigorously defend the action."

Ms Longfield, who has instructed US litigation specialists Scott+Scott, hopes it would be a "powerful test case" which would be a "wake-up call" for other social media platforms.

She added that she hoped to force TikTok to delete the data and put new measures in place to protect children.

"I'd like to see them acknowledge the problem, stop collecting the illegal data, delete the illegal data they have and put safeguards in place, so they can demonstrate that they're acting responsibly," she said.

"I'd like to see them reassure parents - they have introduced some measures over recent months - great, I'm pleased when people take action, but while this is absolutely at the core of what the business model is, any action won't get to the heart of what needs to be done.

"So I think they need to communicate that to parents, they need to stop doing it, they need to delete it and put measures in place and then look at how they're going to rebuild trust - I think that really is what we're talking about."

TikTok is one of the world's most popular apps - especially among youngsters -- and has around 100 million users in Europe alone.

The COVID-19 pandemic, with many children having online learning at home, has helped cement its success.

In January, TikTok tightened privacy rules to protect under-16s, with any accounts for those under the age of 16 changed to private.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
×