Tiktok, August 4 — The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the popular Chinese social media platform TikTok on Friday, August 2, accusing the company of violating the privacy of teenage users. The lawsuit claims that TikTok has been illegally collecting data on American users, thereby increasing the risk to their personal information.

The United States contends that TikTok has breached the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which mandates parental consent for collecting personal information from users under the age of 13. The DOJ has demanded a fine of $51,744 from TikTok for these alleged violations.

TikTok, known for its wide-ranging popularity globally, has not yet issued a statement in response to the lawsuit. The platform has previously faced scrutiny and legal challenges over privacy concerns and data handling practices.

In a related development, China filed a lawsuit against the United States on May 7, challenging a law that seeks to ban Chinese-owned apps like TikTok. The social media giant argued that such a ban would significantly limit the freedom of speech of its 170 million US users. The US administration has cited national security concerns, suggesting that TikTok could potentially share sensitive information about American citizens with the Chinese government.

The legal battles highlight ongoing tensions between the US and China over digital privacy and data security, particularly concerning platforms owned by Chinese companies.