According to CNN, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are being accused of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The lawsuit is taking place on August 2 at a court in California and is being filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC claims that TikTok intentionally provides standard accounts to users under the age of 13 despite implementing the "Children's Mode."
Furthermore, they also point out that TikTok's actions are insufficient in ensuring the safety of children because a child under 13 can still repeat the registration process and provide false information when they are denied a real account.
The application has also been found to automatically collect personal information of children without notifying parents or guardians. This is in direct violation of COPPA.
In the lawsuit, FTC Chairman Lina Khan asserts that TikTok has intentionally and continuously violated COPPA, which was established in 2019. She also compares the application to a threat to millions of children across the United States of America.
On the other hand, TikTok's representative Michael Hughes has completely denied the accusations due to a lack of evidence. Additionally, they have made promises about the improvements of the platform in the future to protect children and are very proud of their efforts.
At present, there is still no final judgment from the court, however, TikTok is facing the risk of being banned in the United States if they do not provide satisfactory explanations for their actions.
