The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over its data and security practices, according to people familiar with the matter.
NEW YORK — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok's data and security practices, which could lead to a settlement or lawsuit against the company, according to people familiar with the matter.
The investigation is the latest battle in Washington for social media companies. The company is already fighting a federal bill that could ban the platform in the United States unless it cuts ties with its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance.
In its investigation, the FTC will ask whether TikTok violated a section of federal law that prohibits “unfair and deceptive” business practices by denying individuals in China access to U.S. user data. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter, said the investigation is underway.
The agency also grilled the company on potential violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires apps and websites aimed at children to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. is investigating.
FTC spokeswoman Nicole Drayton and TikTok declined to comment on the investigation, which was first reported by Politico.
The agency is nearing the end of its investigation and could reach a settlement with TikTok in the coming weeks. However, the person said there is no deadline set for the agreement.
If the FTC proceeds with the case on its behalf, the Department of Justice would have to refer the case to the Department of Justice, which would then decide whether to file the case on behalf of the FTC, make changes, or send it back to the Justice Department. You will have 45 days to do so. Pursue it yourself.
The news comes nearly two years after Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner and the committee's top Republican, Marco Rubio, urged FTC Chair Lina Khan to investigate TikTok and A ByteDance employee in China cited a report in BuzzFeed News alleging that ByteDance employees in China repeatedly accessed TikTok data. TikTok user in the US.
ByteDance announced in late 2022 that it had fired four employees who accessed data from journalists at Buzzfeed News and the Financial Times in an effort to track leaks of confidential material about the company.
A bill that could decide the fate of TikTok in the United States was approved by the House of Representatives this month. But the bill has already hit a roadblock in the Senate, where there is little unanimity on how best to address concerns around social platforms.
Lawmakers and intelligence officials have said they fear the platform could be used by the Chinese government to access U.S. user data or influence Americans through popular algorithms. Ta. To date, the US government has provided no public evidence that this happened.