Short form video-sharing platform TikTok has come under fire for alleged privacy and data protection law violations.
The company is set to face a lawsuit filed by the State of Indiana, which alleges that both TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have infringed upon the state’s consumer protection regulations.
The lawsuit details that TikTok has failed to adequately the safety of young users by exposing them to harmful and inappropriate content.
Additionally, the state of Indiana also alleges that TikTok has failed to disclose the fact that the Chinese government is potentially able to access app users’ sensitive personal data and information.
Court documents described TikTok as a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ referencing the dangers that the app poses while appearing harmless on the surface.
TikTok has been the subject of much recent debate and criticism for how it manages user data, both in the US and beyond.
Some of the allegations levied at the app accuse of being everything from a personal safety risk to a serious national security threat.
Authorities in Texas even went as far as banning the use of TikTok on government-issued mobile devices, citing fears that the app was sharing sensitive data with the Chinese government.
