TikTok Faces Consumer Law and Child Safety Complaints Across EU

[MacRumors]

TikTok on Tuesday was targeted by EU consumer protection groups for allegedly violating the bloc's consumer laws and for failing to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content (via Reuters).

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) lodged a complaint against the short video-sharing app with the European Commission, citing several issues in its complaint, one of which relates to its terms of service.

"They are unclear, ambiguous and favor TikTok to the detriment of its users. Its copyright terms are equally unfair as they give TikTok an irrevocable right to use, distribute and reproduce the videos published by users, without remuneration," it said.

Other complaints include TikTok's virtual currency, which allows users to purchase coins to use as virtual gifts for TikTok celebrity performances, as well as the company's allegedly misleading practices relating to processing personal user data.

In addition to BEUC's complaint, consumer organisations in 15 countries alerted their consumer protection authorities and urged them to act.

Details of the alleged breaches are set out in two reports, one of which accuses the Chinese-owned app of failing to protect children and teenagers from hidden advertising and potentially harmful content shared on the platform.

As a press release by the BEUC put it:

“TikTok's marketing offers to companies who want to advertise on the app contributes to the proliferation of hidden marketing. Users are for instance triggered to participate in branded hashtag challenges where they are encouraged to create content of specific products. As popular influencers are often the starting point of such challenges the commercial intent is usually masked for users. TikTok is also potentially failing to conduct due diligence when it comes to protecting children from inappropriate content such as videos showing suggestive content which are just a few scrolls away."

Previous regulatory intervention in Europe occurred in Italy, where TikTok was forced to apply an age verification process in the country, after the death of a ten-year-old girl who participated in a "black out" challenge propagated on the the platform.

ByteDance-owned TikTok has also introduced an in-app summary of its privacy policy, which the company says makes it easier for teens to understand its stance on privacy.

"We're always open to hearing how we can improve, and we have contacted BEUC as we would welcome a meeting to listen to their concerns," a TikTok spokesman told Reuters.

Article Link: TikTok Faces Consumer Law and Child Safety Complaints Across EU

 

[contacos]

I am still surprised Apple does not mind this "in app currency" considering how they are up on other companies ass about stuff like that

 

[ruka.snow]

I am still surprised Apple does not mind this "in app currency" considering how they are up on other companies ass about stuff like that

Lot of apps have a in app currency and it is a-ok as long as if you are selling the currency in app that it uses the IAP method. They don't care if users have hopped off to some website to fill the ewallet.

 

[tridley68]

It's about time

 

[LeadingHeat]

Tiktok is such a scummy platform. I downloaded it to see what the hype was about, and was shocked at the amount of underage girls dancing provocatively for the camera (to the same 3 songs it seemed). The comments on it were absolutely disgusting as well. Typically 30-40yr old males discussing what they’d like to do to her.

Child exploitation is a real thing. I wish more people were aware of it.

I know my kids (when they’re old enough to get a phone) will never have tiktok or any similar apps.

 

[sakurarain]

Tiktok is such a scummy platform. I downloaded it to see what the hype was about, and was shocked at the amount of underage girls dancing provocatively for the camera (to the same 3 songs it seemed). The comments on it were absolutely disgusting as well. Typically 30-40yr old males discussing what they’d like to do to her.

Child exploitation is a real thing. I wish more people were aware of it.

I know my kids (when they’re old enough to get a phone) will never have tiktok or any similar apps.

could not agree more!

 

[sw1tcher]

I know my kids (when they’re old enough to get a phone) will never have tiktok or any similar apps.

That you'll know about. Or they'll have a 2nd phone

Teens Smuggle Burner Phones to Defy Parents

For many teens, and even younger kids, smartphones have become a lifeline—the source of all social connection. The loss of a phone and the fear of missing out can cause teens to resort to desperate measures.

www.wsj.com

 

[acgmph]

That you'll know about. Or they'll have a 2nd phone

Teens Smuggle Burner Phones to Defy Parents

For many teens, and even younger kids, smartphones have become a lifeline—the source of all social connection. The loss of a phone and the fear of missing out can cause teens to resort to desperate measures.

www.wsj.com

This article only says this is an issue only with the Van Every family… /s

This is one of the reasons I cannot stand these articles… no stats or any meaningful higher level data about the problem presented.

 

[Steve121178]

Tiktok is such a scummy platform. I downloaded it to see what the hype was about, and was shocked at the amount of underage girls dancing provocatively for the camera (to the same 3 songs it seemed). The comments on it were absolutely disgusting as well. Typically 30-40yr old males discussing what they’d like to do to her.

Child exploitation is a real thing. I wish more people were aware of it.

I know my kids (when they’re old enough to get a phone) will never have tiktok or any similar apps.

Sounds like you did some thorough research there then. No judgment...

 

[CarpalMac]

Tiktok is such a scummy platform. I downloaded it to see what the hype was about, and was shocked at the amount of underage girls dancing provocatively for the camera (to the same 3 songs it seemed). The comments on it were absolutely disgusting as well. Typically 30-40yr old males discussing what they’d like to do to her.

Child exploitation is a real thing. I wish more people were aware of it.

I know my kids (when they’re old enough to get a phone) will never have tiktok or any similar apps.

I could not agree more.

I installed it exactly the same, what is all the fuss - almost immediately videos were suggested to me that had what appeared to be underage girls dressed and behaving in a way I would be livid about if my daughter was to do the same.

The app made me feel deeply uncomfortable in just a few minutes and was promplty deleted. As was my subsequent app review of it. It's all kinds of gross.


~ Edit ~

could not agree more!

Ah! I see I am not alone.

 

[ijordano]

To be fair the amount of guys on TikTok wearing thin pants to show off their blatantly semi-hard dicks is disturbing

 

[ArPe]

Just follow the instructions and it will be ok

 

[LeadingHeat]

That you'll know about. Or they'll have a 2nd phone

Teens Smuggle Burner Phones to Defy Parents

For many teens, and even younger kids, smartphones have become a lifeline—the source of all social connection. The loss of a phone and the fear of missing out can cause teens to resort to desperate measures.

www.wsj.com

Yikes. Yeah that’s pretty scary especially when kids these days are growing up with technology all around them. If we as parents don’t keep up we’ll be outpaced and out of touch with what’s going on.

I know it’s much easier said than done, but I hope I have a relationship with my kids that’s healthy enough for us to have mutual trust and respect. And that they feel confident enough to tell me things. I didn’t have that growing up and I’ll admit I definitely was closer to the teen in that article going behind their backs and hiding things simply because they were too naive to notice. Then again, my dad and I didn’t have the greatest relationship (to say the least).

Well, thanks for being my shrink today! ? send me the bill

 

[LeadingHeat]

Sounds like you did some thorough research there then. No judgment...

I’m sure there’s quality content on there as well, but when the app is opened and instantly you see that, it means that other people will see that when they first open it too. (This is before I created an account, put in my demographics).

That’s what got me surprised and shocked.

 

[robertosh]

Kids are really the product nowadays. Others will follow.