DOJ Sues China Over Collection of ‘Personal Information’ from Underaged Users

On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the Chinese social media company TikTok, over the company’s alleged collection of personal information on millions of American children who use the app.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, the lawsuit says that TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), as it “knowingly” let millions of children below the age of 13 create accounts without first getting their parents’ consent. The company also repeatedly refused to delete the accounts of underaged children even after parents demanded that they do so.

“[The DOJ is] deeply concerned that TikTok has continued to collect and retain children’s personal information despite a court order barring such conduct” in 2019, said DOJ spokesman Benjamin Mizer in a statement on Friday. “With [Friday’s lawsuit], the Department seeks to ensure that TikTok honors its obligation to protect children’s privacy rights and parents’ efforts to protect their children.”

It was noted that even though TikTok has a designated “Kids Mode,” this version of the app still saved email addresses and other personal information on its users in a database.

The Chinese-based company issued its own statement denying the accusations.

“We disagree with these allegations, many of which relate to past events and practices that are factually inaccurate or have been addressed,” said TikTok spokesman Michael Hughes in a statement. “We are proud of our efforts to protect children, and we will continue to update and improve the platform.”

This latest controversy comes as ByteDance is forced to sell the popular video-sharing app or else face a total ban in the United States, as the result of a law that was passed in April with bipartisan support and signed by Joe Biden. The law forces ByteDance to either sell TikTok by January of 2025 to a non-Chinese buyer, or else the app will be forbidden for use and access in the American market.

The app, which originally got its start as a website where users shared videos lip-syncing to popular songs, has faced criticism for a wide variety of reasons, across both sides of the political aisle. While Democrats have primarily focused on privacy concerns, Republicans have pointed out the app’s threat to national security, as it is operated by a hostile foreign nation, as well as its use in spreading propaganda that leans heavily in favor of left-wing biases.