TikTok sued for billions over use of children's data

TikTok is facing a legal challenge from former children's commissioner for England Anne Longfield over how it collects and uses children's data. The claim is being filed on behalf of millions of children in the UK and EU who have used the hugely popular video-sharing app. If successful, the children affected could each be owed thousands of pounds. TikTok said the case was without merit and it would fight it. Read the full article via BBC News.

TikTok is watching you – even if you don't have an account

Privacy policies often justify data collection by explaining it’s linked to security. Big Tech companies say that keeping track of your activities helps them find and eliminate fraudulent accounts. We’re told companies won’t use the data against our interests, but even so, the information is still stored somewhere, vulnerable to cyber attacks or to privacy policy changes you might absent-mindedly agree to. Read the full article via Vice.

Why worry about TikTok?

Its parent company, ByteDance, is the world’s most valuable unlisted technology startup, recently valued at between $90B and $100B. TikTok has more than 100m users in the West as well as in China. But its worldwide impact and its Chinese provenance leave some Western governments feeling queasy. Read the full article via The Economist.

About TikTok Data Claim UK

TikTok faces accusations of violating the UK Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the UK GDPR (post-Brexit) by failing to provide adequate safeguards to prevent illegal processing of children’s information. Read more via tiktokdataclaim.uk.

TikTok unable to verify ages, Irish data watchdog told

There are multiple violations of the EU data protection laws, GDPR, associated with the social media app TikTok, a Dutch think tank has said in a formal complaint it has submitted to the Irish regulator. Somi has claimed that Tiktok has no “instruments to verify the age of its users”. Read the full article via The Times.