Texas AG Takes Legal Action Against TikTok Over Child Privacy Concerns

Texas AG Ken Paxton has launched a legal battle against TikTok, alleging it puts Texas children’s online safety at risk in violation of the SCOPE Act.

At a Glance

AG Paxton alleges TikTok violates the SCOPE Act by sharing minors’ personal data without parental consent.
The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief against TikTok.
TikTok disputes the claims, citing existing protective features for minors.
Federal and state-level legal actions are converging against TikTok.
Texas is aggressively passing laws to regulate social media practices.

Allegations of SCOPE Act Violations

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit in a federal district court in Galveston against TikTok, claiming the platform jeopardizes the online safety and privacy of children. The lawsuit accuses TikTok of breaching the Texas Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act by sharing minors’ personal information without necessary parental consent.

The SCOPE Act mandates that companies provide tools enabling parents to control their children’s privacy settings. In the lawsuit, AG Paxton is pursuing civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. He also seeks injunctive relief to prevent future breaches of the law by TikTok.

Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues TikTok for Sharing Minors' Personal Data In Violation of Texas Parental Consent Law: https://t.co/oTG1iP9n0N

— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) October 3, 2024

TikTok’s Defense and Federal Scrutiny

TikTok counters the lawsuit’s allegations by emphasizing its existing features, such as family pairing, which offer parents enhanced control over minors’ accounts. The company asserts that these capabilities reflect its commitment to user protection, arguing against the insufficiency of these measures as claimed by Paxton. TikTok is also under scrutiny at the federal level, facing lawsuits concerning data collection on young children.

“We strongly disagree with these allegations and, in fact, we offer robust safeguards for teens and parents, including family pairing, all of which are publicly available,” a statement read. “We stand by the protections we provide families.”

Ken Paxton argues that TikTok’s family pairing feature lacks comprehensive privacy controls and is unavailable for users under 13. AG Paxton’s latest action forms part of a broader stance against technology companies. Multiple states have introduced similar measures to regulate social media content curation.

Texas’s Growing Regulatory Landscape

Texas is at the forefront of state-level social media regulation, passing laws that demand increased content moderation and privacy protection measures. This approach faces challenges from tech companies and advocacy groups concerned about free speech implications. Nevertheless, there have been numerous movements to crack down on social media across the country due to privacy and content moderation concerns.

As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how these legal actions will shape the future operations of social media giants like TikTok, potentially influencing national regulatory frameworks. Meanwhile, it’s up to other technology companies to assess their policies and tools to comply with emerging state requirements, particularly those designed to protect the youngest and most vulnerable online users.