
TikTok in Hot Waters Again: Here’s Why the Video-Sharing App Is Facing Another Lawsuit

TikTok is one of the many content-creating apps that are widely popular nowadays. Just like the now-defunct Vine, the social media platform allows users to create and share videos, which they can edit with a wide array of effects available within the app, to gain likes on the platform.
The Chinese-developed app boasts a user base of 1.5 million users, giving it a strong foothold in an already competitive market dominated by the likes of Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

TikTok allows users to create short clips and upload them to the platform
Data Harvesting
The number of users on the app is also a testament of how people are fond of the portal’s quirky effects and how it has become an avenue to showcase talent. However, the ByteDance-owned TikTok has oftentimes found itself in trouble due to it’s deep roots in China.
Recently, it faced a class-action lawsuit from users in the United States who accused the platform of illegally collecting personal information and sending it to servers back in China.

Chinese company ByteDance owns TikTok
The lawsuit further stressed that the app came with surveillance software that violates consumer protection and privacy laws.
It also argued that the vast quantities of data collected can be used to track American users’ location and activity. The plaintiff in question is a California student, Misty Hong, who claimed that she didn’t create a TikTok account despite downloading the app.
After downloading the app, Misty accused TikTok of creating an account for her without her consent and secretly taking unpublished videos from her.
The information, including the websites visited by the cell phone owner outside the app, was allegedly sent to two Chinese servers that were backed by Alibaba and Tencent.
The lawsuit also alleges that the company gains profit from the collected data because it uses this to target certain people for advertisement purposes.
Same Predicament
Matthias Eberl, a journalist from Germany, also echoed similar concerns in a statement. Eberl has long been looking at how TikTok collects data from its users and found that the app sells user data to advertising firms without consent. He also asserts that personal information gets sent to China, which is also a violation of European privacy policies.
Of course, every country has different laws in place about privacy and harvesting data. While US and Europe are much more stringent about privacy laws, in China, the information from apps is used for the social credit system.
Another Lawsuit
This was hardly the first time ByteDance has come under fire. It was recently slapped with a lawsuit after the video-sharing app, which used to be Musical.ly, was found to have collected information from underage users, thereby breaching child privacy laws.

Parents were furious at ByteDance for collecting data of their young kids
As per the complaint, TikTok has been getting data from minors below 13 without asking permission from their parents in the past five years, which gravely violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. If found true, ByteDance could face Federal Trade Commission lawsuits.
Just a day after the complaint was aired, TikTok swiftly settled the case with the parents who made the accusations. According to the plaintiff’s lawyer Gary Klinger, there was an agreed $1.1 million settlement to silence the plantiffs.
More in Legal Advice
-
Naomi Campbell is Still Battling it Out with an Ex-Boyfriend Years after Their Break up–Here’s Why
Naomi Campbell is no stranger to controversy whether it has something to do with her professional or personal life. And it...
October 22, 2020 -
The Retiree’s Guide to Getting and Recovering from a Divorce Later in Life
Divorce rates among couples who are in the 60 and over age group have notably risen in recent years. This is...
October 20, 2020 -
The First GMIT Virtual Career Fair- Why You Need to Invest Your Time in Career Fairs if You Want to Land a Job Anytime Soon
If you’re a college student or a recent graduate, you must be aware of all the career fairs taking place around...
October 14, 2020 -
Hitting Your Diamond Wedding Anniversary but Choosing to Part Ways? Follow These Tips For a Smooth Transition Into Single Life
Divorces tend to be messy affairs. They can be overwhelming both mentally and financially. To separate from a person you had...
October 13, 2020 -
Haven’t Received Your First Stimulus Check Yet? Here’s How You Can Find Out Why There’s a Holdup
Stimulus checks are checks sent to taxpayers to stimulate a sluggish economy. The U.S government provides some money to taxpayers to...
October 5, 2020 -
Are You a Lawyer Just Starting Out Their Career? Here Are a Few Expert Tips on How To Get Your Career Off to a Good Start
Your law degree has finally been completed. You’ve persevered through the daunting legal training. Your name is now signed on the...
October 5, 2020 -
Divorced or Separated? Know These Genius Hacks to Make Co-Parenting Easier and Better
Just imagine: you and your partner used to be head over heels with each other. Now, both of you want out...
September 30, 2020 -
Don’t Take it to The Court Immediately! Simple Tips to Prevent Your Marriage from Heading to Divorceville
When sparks no longer fly, married couples head to Splitsville. Divorce isn’t always expensive but depending on how you end things...
September 25, 2020 -
Roping in a Finance Lawyer For Your Business? Here Are a Few Tips to Help You in the Process
Dozens of business houses shatter every day just because they don’t have a good financial lawyer. And not just any business...
September 25, 2020