TikTok in Hot Water: Dutch Consumer Advocates Slap Class Action Lawsuit on Video App
Consumer Compensation Claim: Users demand reparations from TikTok for alleged harm caused - TikTok to compensate users financially
You know what they say, get those fingers scrolling because this one's a doozy!
A Dutch non-profit consumer organization, Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi), has taken the video-sharing platform TikTok to task in Berlin's Regional Court. A court spokesperson confirmed the news. German consumers stand a chance to get in on the class action lawsuit with minimal legal fuss. Remember, our man Elon Musk's X platform? Yeah, Somi filed a similar lawsuit against him in Berlin back in May.
What's the beef? Somi alleges that TikTok, a service run by the Chinese company Bytedance, has been snatching and analyzing personal data illegally. Plus, the app secretly creates detailed behavioral and personality profiles for advertising and promotional purposes. On top of that, TikTok's design allegedly sets up a system of manipulation and dependency, especially for the youth.
TikTok, as of yet, hasn't issued a peep about this situation.
Wanna join the lawsuit? Affected consumers can register in the lawsuit registry at the Federal Office of Justice. If the lawsuit lands a victory, they'll scores their fair share of the compensation without the hassle of filing individual lawsuits, the court spokesperson said.
Somi's filing seeks compensation for TikTok users in its lawsuit. The amount depends on the user's age: Under 16? You're in for a cool 2000 euros. Between 16 and 21? 1000 euros is headed your way. And if you're over 21? Expect 500 euros.
As of press time, Somi's class action lawsuit hasn't popped up in the class action registry on the Federal Office of Justice's website. But it's expected to hit the digital stands in a couple of days. Once it's up, consumers and small biz owners can file their claims. The Federal Office recommends the electronic option as it's speedy. You've got three weeks after the oral hearing to register your claims.
[1] In case you're curious, the enrichment data tells us that as of the latest info, Somi, a Dutch consumer protection organization, has filed a class action lawsuit against TikTok in the Berlin Regional Court in Germany. The lawsuit alleges that TikTok has engaged in illegal data collection and manipulation, particularly by compiling extensive behavioral and personality profiles for commercial purposes, including targeted advertising. The lawsuit also raises concerns about TikTok's impact on children and adolescents, suggesting that its algorithm fosters dependency and manipulation. Consumers can join this collective action by registering their claims online with the Federal Office of Justice in Germany. If the lawsuit is successful, participants will receive compensation without needing to file individual claims. The proposed compensation varies based on the user's age at the time they began using TikTok: EUR2,000 for those under 16 years old, EUR1,000 for those between 16 and 21 years old, and EUR500 for users older than 21.
- Despite TikTok's lack of response regarding the allegations of illegal data collection and manipulation made by the Dutch consumer protection organization, Somi, German consumers can join the class action lawsuit and potentially receive compensation if it's successful.
- Somi has filed a class action lawsuit in the Berlin Regional Court, claiming TikTok, a Chinese-owned video-sharing platform, has been collecting and using personal data without consent, creating detailed behavioral and personality profiles for targeted advertising, while also allegedly fostering dependency among young users.
