TikTok Under Fire: Dutch Consumer Advocates Sue for Compensation in Berlin
TikTok Faces Calls for User Compensation in Affiliation Grievance - TikTok to offer financial reimbursement to its users.
Got some gossip?
It's official! The popular video-sharing platform, TikTok, is facing a damages lawsuit filed by a Dutch non-profit, Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi), at the Berlin Regional Court. The platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is being accused of illegally collecting, analyzing, and using personal data, and creating a system to manipulate and depend on young users—particularly children and adolescents.
The Deets!
Somi alleges that TikTok surreptitiously generates extensive behavioral and personality profiles for advertising and commercial purposes. Additionally, the service crafts a structure that fosters dependency and manipulation among young users. TikTok hasn't issued a statement on the matter yet.
Here's the Burn!
If the lawsuit is successful, consumers eligible for damages will receive their compensation as part of the class action lawsuit without the need for filing additional lawsuits. The compensation for users depends on their age: those under 16 years old when they started using TikTok are set to receive €2,000 each, those between 16 and 21 years old will receive €1,000, and those over 21 years old will receive €500.
Spill the Tea!
The Netherlands-based consumer advocates are demanding damages for registered TikTok users. As of now, the lawsuit is not yet publicly announced on the website of the Federal Office of Justice (BfJ). However, it is expected to be published within a few days, allowing consumers and small businesses to submit their claims online.
In Case You Missed It!- TikTok- Berlin Regional Court- Dutch Non-Profit- Germany- Compensation Lawsuit- ByteDance- Class Action Lawsuit- Manipulation- Young Users- Federal Office of Justice- Data Privacy- Elon Musk (X Platform reference)
- EC countries, with the freedom to provide services, are closely watching the Berlin Regional Court case involving TikTok and Dutch non-profit, Somi, as it could set a significant precedent for data and cloud computing technology companies in the realm of general news, crime, and justice, potentially influencing regulations across the EU.
- As technology continues to advance in the realm of data-and-cloud-computing, with platforms like TikTok collecting extensive user data, the importance of addressing these issues in the realm of general news, especially crime and justice, becomes increasingly vital, ensuring the protection of the freedom to provide services for all consumers.
