The Federal Trade Commission has referred a complaint against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, to the Department of Justice. The FTC stated that it found reason to believe that the companies are violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a law mandating parental consent for collecting personal information from children under 13. Additionally, potential violations of the FTC Act were cited.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department confirmed the referral and emphasized the importance of considering the claims in accordance with the law to protect the public. The investigation is said to be related to allegations of deceptive practices, including claims that TikTok denied sharing U.S. user data with individuals in China.
