Keyword

COPPA Violations, Child Privacy Policies, Data Collection, TikTok Security, UK Data Protection

Abstract

Children are among the most vulnerable members of society, necessitating strong protections, especially regarding their online presence. Although laws have been enacted to safeguard their physical well-being, many online companies, including TikTok, have failed to ensure proper handling of children’s data. TikTok, a popular social media platform, has been repeatedly flagged for security risks, including inadequate parental consent, unreasonable data collection, and unauthorized data transference. This paper examines these discrepancies within TikTok’s data privacy practices concerning US and UK regulations, with a focus on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This research follows a comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks that highlights TikTok’s repeated failures of compliance, while discussing the broader implications for online child data protection. A comprehensive review of TikTok’s practices offers insights into how companies can improve their compliance with child data protection laws while highlighting the importance of regulatory enforcement.


Full Text : PDF
References
  • Data Protection Impact Assessments (no date) ICO. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/childrens-information/childrens-code-guidance-and-resources/age-appropriate-design-a-code-of-practice-for-online-services/2-data-protection-impact-assessments/ (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • About this code (no date) ICO. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/childrens-information/childrens-code-guidance-and-resources/age-appropriate-design-a-code-of-practice-for-online-services/about-this-code/ (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • About: Tiktok - real short videos (no date) TikTok. Available at: https://www.tiktok.com/about?lang=en (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) (2023) State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General. Available at: https://www.oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa#sectionb (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • Evans, M. (2018) Why data is the most important currency in commerce today, Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelleevans1/2018/03/12/why-data-is-the-most-important-currency-used-in-commerce-today/ (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • FAQs on the 15 standards of the children’s code (no date) ICO. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/childrens-information/childrens-code-guidance-and-resources/faqs-on-the-15-standards-of-the-children-s-code/ (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • Fowler, G. (2023) Your kids’ apps are spying on them, The Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/09/apps-kids-privacy/ (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • Froehlich, N. (2023) Council post: The truth in user privacy and targeted ads, Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/02/24/the-truth-in-user-privacy-and-targeted-ads/?sh=51b0c4a+d355e (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Harwell, D. (2022) Remote learning apps shared children’s data at a ‘dizzying scale,’ The Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/05/24/remote-school-app-tracking-privacy/ (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Ico fines TikTok £12.7 million for misusing children’s Data (2023) ICO. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2023/04/ico-fines-tiktok-127-million-for-misusing-children-s-data/ (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • Introduction to the children’s code (no date) ICO. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/childrens-information/childrens-code-guidance-and-resources/introduction-to-the-childrens-code/ (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • Leiby, M. (2022) ‘iPad kids’ and the future of early childhood development, Spartan Shield. Available at: https://spartanshield.org/31970/opinion/ipad-kids-and-the-future-of-early-childhood-development/ (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Online tools for teaching & learning (no date) Online Tools for Teaching Learning. Available at: https://blogs.umass.edu/onlinetools/community-centered-tools/schoology/ (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Ritchie, J.N.& A. and Jayanti, S.F.-T., and A. (2022) Video social networking app Musical.ly agree to settle FTC allegations violating children’s privacy law, Federal Trade Commission. Available at: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2019/02/video-social-networking-app-musically-agrees-settle-ftc-allegations-it-violated-childrens-privacy (Accessed: 04 October 2023).
  • Ritchie, J.N.& A. and Staff in the Bureau of Competition & Office of Technology (2023) Complying with COPPA: Frequently asked questions, Federal Trade Commission. Available at: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/complying-coppa-frequently-asked-questions (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Rouse, M. (2017) Ad targeting, TECHOPEDIA. Available at: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/30295/ad-targeting (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Searing, L. (2021) One-third of children ages 7 to 9 use social media apps, study says, The Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/social-media-young-kids/2021/11/19/3130ce5a-488a-11ec-95dc-5f2a96e00fa3_story.html (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Singer, N. (2022) Tiktok may face $29 million fine for failing to protect children’s privacy, The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/26/technology/tiktok-children-privacy-fine-uk.html#:~:text=Natasha%20Singer %2C%20a%20technology%20reporter, children’s%20online%20privacy%20since%202012. &text=TikTok%2C%20t he%20popular%20video%2Dsharing, privacy%20in%20the%20United%20Kingdom. (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Vittorio, A. and Witley, S. (2022) Tiktok Faces ‘pile-on’ pressure from states after Indiana sues, Bloomberg Law. Available at: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/tiktok-faces-pile-on-pressure-from-states-after-indiana-sues (Accessed: 30 September 2023).
  • Zhong, R. and Frenkel, S. (2020) A third of TikTok’s U.S. users may be 14 or under, raising safety questions, The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/technology/tiktok-underage-users-ftc.html (Accessed: 03 October 2023).