TikTok sued in UK on behalf of millions of European children

Popular video-sharing app TikTok is facing a legal challenge for billions of pounds over allegations that it unlawfully collected the personal data of millions of European children.

Anne Longfield, the former children's commissioner for England, launched the legal proceedings against the app (owned by Chinese firm ByteDance) on behalf of 3.5 million children under 13.

If the claim is successful, the affected children could each be awarded thousands of pounds.

The lawsuit alleges that TikTok may have collected personal information about every child that used the video-sharing app from 25th May 2018, regardless of their privacy settings or account status, for the benefit of third parties.

According to Longfield, TikTok intentionally breached European and UK data protection rules by collecting childrens' personal data, without warning or guardian consent.

TikTok's policies in the UK require a child to be above 13 to use the app. Those downloading the app are asked to input their age when they join.

"Parents and children have a right to know that private information, including phone numbers, physical location and videos of their children are being illegally collected," Longfield said.

The suit has been filed in the London High Court and is demanding the firm to delete the personal information it has collected on any and all children.

The claimants are being advised by law firm Scott & Scott.

The legal challenge against TikTok was first brought last year by a 12-year-old girl, who was granted anonymity by a London judge so that she is not bullied online by other users of the app.

The girl is the lead claimant in the case, which has been held until the Supreme Court gives a decision in a similar case against Google.

In a statement, TikTok told the BBC that the claim lacks merit. It intends to 'vigorously defend' itself.

'Privacy and safety are top priorities for TikTok and we have robust policies, processes and technologies in place to help protect all users, and our teenage users in particular,' TikTok said.

It is not the first time that the popular Chinese app has come under fire over its data practices.

Last year, India banned TikTok in a targeted move to 'ensure the safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace'.

In 2019, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) imposed a $5.7 million (£4.2 million) fine on ByteDance to settle allegations that Musical.ly (which ByteDance bought in 2017 and renamed TikTok) illegally collected information from children under 13.

The UK's Information Commisioner's Office has also been investigating the app since February 2019 over concerns for how childrens' data is handled.

Last year, former US president Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to American firms by mid-November, or face a ban in the US.

While ByteDance initially agreed to sell TikTok's US operations to Oracle and Walmart, it has reportedly walked away from the deal following Donald Trump's defeat in the US Presidential election.