When it Rains, it Pours — TikTok Now Faces an FTC Investigation Amid Senators Debating a Ban

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over allegedly adverse files and privateness practices. In Congress, Senators debate a ban on the ByteDance-owned firm.

The FTC is investigating allegations that TikTok and its Beijing-primarily primarily based mostly mother or father ByteDance “deceived its users by denying that participants in China had salvage admission to to their files,” to boot to violating a children’s privateness rules, of us with declare files of the topic advised Politico. In partnership with the Justice Division, the agency could both file a lawsuit or resolve with the firm, despite the truth that a settlement is reportedly but to be reached.

TikTok is struggling with from a pair of facets as a recent invoice that would both force the sale of the firm within the US or ban the platform entirely makes its advance by design of the Senate after finding overwhelming give a pick to within the Home of Representatives. A settlement with the FTC would simplest add gasoline to the fire for these arguing that TikTok’s ties to a Beijing-primarily primarily based mostly firm are a first-rate threat to national security.

The FTC and DOJ are in ongoing discussions over what action needs to be taken, and must first refer the topic to the DOJ’s civil division earlier than bringing a case. After referring the case to the DOJ, the department has 45 days to think whether to pursue both a settlement or a lawsuit, or ship it abet to the agency for litigation. It’s unclear whether any action taken in opposition to TikTok would consist of mother or father firm ByteDance.

In line with these end to the topic, TikTok has been under scrutiny at the FTC for its privateness and files security practices for as a minimal two years. In 2019, a old iteration of the platform settled a case with the FTC alleging violations of a children’s privateness rules.

The European Commission additionally opened a probe in February into whether TikTok breached the EU’s fresh on-line privateness principles, while a bunch of instruct attorneys regular dangle launched their absorb probe of the firm. In the meantime, several Canadian privateness regulators launched their absorb TikTok security investigation, additionally in February.