Texas Sues TikTok for Alleged Violation of New Child Privacy Law

Just one month after the state enacted the law, a lawsuit was filed challenging it.

TikTok Faces Legal Action in Texas

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the popular video-sharing platform TikTok, alleging violations of Texas’s newly enacted child online protection law, the SCOPE Act.

A Law to Protect Minors Online

The SCOPE Act, effective just last month, requires social media platforms to verify the age of their youngest users and implement parental control features, including options for parents to opt their children out of data collection.

Inadequate Parental Controls?

Paxton claims TikTok’s existing parental controls are inadequate, stating, “Defendants do not provide parents or guardians of known users aged 13 to 17 with parental tools that allow them to manage or restrict most of the privacy and account settings of a known minor,” the complaint notes. It also criticizes TikTok for not giving parents control over the sharing, disclosure, and sale of a minor’s personally identifiable information or their exposure to targeted advertising.

TikTok Under Pressure

The lawsuit adds to the mounting legal challenges TikTok faces in the United States, including a battle against a potential nationwide ban. Additionally, the Department of Justice has filed a separate child protection lawsuit against the company. In response, TikTok stated: “We completely disagree with these allegations and, in fact, we provide robust safeguards for teens and parents, including family pairing, all of which are publicly available. We stand by the protections we offer to families.”