A former Commissioner for Children in England filed a complaint last Wednesday (21) against the video platform TikTok, accusing it of illegally collecting personal data from millions of children in the UK and Europe.
Anne Longfield has sued TikTok and app developer, Chinese ByteDance, on behalf of children under the age of 16 in the European Union and 13 in the United Kingdom. The expectation is a total compensation of billions of pounds, according to a statement.
According to her, there are around 3.5 million minors involved in the UK.
Longfield estimates that all children who have used TikTok since May 2018, that is, since the introduction of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), whether or not they have an account, may be affected by this data collection.
Among these Personal information is phone numbers, videos, photos, and contact location Or even biometric data, like facial recognition.
- know more: TikTok agrees to pay $ 92 million to end US privacy lawsuit
- Europe’s Consumer Protection Agency accuses TikTok of “misleading” and “vague” terms
The lawsuit, also filed by Scott + Scott attorneys at law, states that TikTok collects data without adequate notice, without transparency and without seeking consent, as required by law.
A TikTok spokesperson responded by saying the complaint “Lacks foundation” and the company “intends to defend itself aggressively”.
He added, “Privacy and security are TikTok’s top priorities and we have strong practices and technologies to protect all users and teens in particular.”
TikTok was already fined $ 5.7 million in the United States in February 2019 for unlawfully collecting personal data from children under the age of 13, including their names, emails, and addresses.
TikTok: the Chinese app with millions of users
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.