The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has intensified its investigation of TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, by referring a complaint regarding potential violations of children’s privacy to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
TikTok and ByteDance “are violating or are about to violate the law,” according to the FTC, which conducted an investigation that “uncovered reason to believe.” The regulatory agency has prioritized potential violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC Act.
The Federal Trade Commission’s decision to disclose this referral is unusual, as it generally refrains from making such announcements. Nonetheless, the commission declared that the disclosure was in the public interest as a result of the nature of the concerns.
COPPA governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information from minors under the age of 13 by online services, whereas the FTC Act combats unfair or deceptive business practices.
A spokesperson for TikTok expressed disappointment with the FTC’s decision to pursue legal action rather than continuing collaborative efforts to resolve the agency’s concerns. “For more than a year, we have been collaborating with the FTC to address these concerns,” stated the spokesperson. “We’re disappointed the agency is pursuing litigation instead of continuing to work with us on a reasonable solution.”
This evolution is distinct from recent legislative initiatives that seek to prohibit TikTok in the United States unless ByteDance relinquishes its ownership of the application.