This article was published in 2019. Laws, case law and regulatory guidance may have changed since then. Contact us for up to date advice.
Privacy concerns
The hugely popular Chinese app TikTok is under fire because of concerns about the privacy of its users.
There are critical voices especially in the US. Earlier this year, the US regulator FTC reached a settlement of 5.7 million dollars with TikTok over violating children’s privacy. The app collected data from children without asking for parental consent.
To meet the FTC requirements, the platform has restricted children’s sharing options and must now obtain clearer consent from parents.
Investigation in the interest of national security
Meanwhile, a US investigation is under way in the interest of national security, which again centres on questions about censorship and the storage of user data. In the summer of 2017, the security of its predecessor Musical.ly came under fire.
Response from the Dutch Data Protection Authority
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) states that it is monitoring developments. “We never comment on whether we are investigating,” says a spokesperson.