TikTok in the Hot Seat – DOJ Lawsuit to Focus on Protecting Kid’s Privacy

TikTok is in some hot water with the feds once again. Word on the street is the upcoming DOJ lawsuit against the viral video platform will zero in on allegations of privacy violations – especially when it comes to protecting kids’ data.

Sources say the suit will focus more on claims TikTok failed to properly shield children’s personal info, rather than broader accusations of misleading users about privacy practices. This comes after the FTC spent months digging into potential violations by TikTok and parent company ByteDance. Back in December, the commission handed the case off to the DOJ, pointing to “reason to believe” laws were being broken.

This isn’t the first time TikTok has come under scrutiny for its handling of minors’ data. Way back in 2020, reports surfaced that both the FTC and DOJ were taking a hard look at claims the app didn’t follow through on a 2019 agreement aimed at bolstering kid privacy safeguards.

For its part, TikTok insists it “strongly disagrees” with the FTC’s perspective and isn’t thrilled about the lawsuit. But the heat is just one part of the pressure being piled on. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill also have concerns about whether info from TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users could end up in the wrong hands due to ByteDance being a Chinese company.

Speaking of ByteDance, it’s in court fighting a law requiring it to shuffle off TikTok assets on American soil by next month or face a ban. The company warned this week that an outright prohibition is “inevitable” without judicial intervention, and called a forced sale “impossible” both technologically and commercially.