translated from Spanish: They accuse TikTok of violating children’s privacy and putting them “at risk”

Groups privacy monitors say that the popular TikTok video app is violating children’s privacy and putting them at risk. A coalition of 20 groups, including Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Center for Digital Democracy, filed a complaint Thursday with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), saying TikTok is collecting personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent. TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has gained enormous popularity among young people due to its informal tone and ease of use. At the same time, it has attracted scrutiny from U.S. officials concerned about national security risks due to the popularity of the app and the fact that the company is Chinese. In 2019, TiKTok paid a $5.7 million fine to the FTC for collecting information from children under the age of 13, which violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The company adjusted its app, adding a restricted mode for minors. But privacy groups say it’s too easy for kids to use TikTok without parental consent. Children can register using a false date of birth to use the full version of the app, “putting them at risk of commercial use of data by TikTok and inappropriate contact with adults,” the groups said in a press release. TikTok uses the data it collects from its users, such as its locality, the content of its messages and the videos they watch, to determine which videos it shows them and for targeted advertising. The privacy groups asked the FTC to investigate the matter and to deal with TikTok. The commission said it had received a complaint recently, but did not give details. In an email statement, TikTok said that privacy is taken very seriously and is dedicated to ensuring that the app is a safe and entertaining community for users.

Original source in Spanish