Texas has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging that the platform has violated the state’s newly introduced child privacy law. The lawsuit, brought by Attorney General Ken Paxton, challenges the adequacy of TikTok’s parental controls and marks the first legal test of Texas’ Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, which went into effect just over a month ago. The law mandates that social media platforms verify the ages of younger users and offer parents control over their children’s data and online activities, including the ability to opt out of data collection.
Attorney General Paxton’s lawsuit claims that TikTok’s existing parental controls fail to meet these requirements. The filing states that TikTok does not allow parents of users aged 13 to 17 to fully manage or restrict privacy and account settings, such as preventing the sharing or sale of a minor’s personal data or controlling the display of targeted advertising. The lawsuit specifically criticizes TikTok’s “Family Pairing” tool, arguing that it is not a commercially reasonable solution. Paxton asserts that the feature is flawed because it requires parents to create their own TikTok accounts and gives teens the option to reject their parents’ requests for monitoring.
TikTok, in response, disagreed with the allegations, stating that it offers “robust safeguards for teens and parents,” including the Family Pairing feature, which is publicly accessible. The company maintains that it already prohibits most forms of targeted advertising to users under the age of 18.
The lawsuit arrives as TikTok faces increasing legal scrutiny in the United States. The platform is currently involved in multiple legal battles, including a case that could potentially lead to a nationwide ban of the app and a separate Department of Justice lawsuit concerning child privacy.
Featured Image courtesy of Engadget
Follow us for more updates on Tiktok’s lawsuit.