Get up to €500 compensation for a TikTok Data Breach!

Intro

The 2020 TikTok data breach sent shockwaves through the digital community, revealing a startling compromise of user privacy.

Our privacy is at risk, so it’s about more than simply headlines. We were made very aware of how vulnerable our personal information might be on social media sites by this TikTok privacy leak. Everyone was questioning, “Is my data safe?” all of a sudden. And with the 2020 TikTok hack, it’s obvious that a serious problem has to be fixed. 

TikTok’s data collection practices are extensive. The app gathers information like browsing history, facial ID, voice prints, texts, and location data, which leads to fears about the privacy and safety of its users, especially children. Their use of tracking pixels on various websites, including in sectors like travel and e-commerce, poses additional privacy concerns. These pixels can collect data from even non-TikTok users, tracking their online activities and gathering information like IP addresses and shopping behavior.

Individuals are acting now. They’re bringing class action lawsuits against TikTok instead of giving up. It’s about sending a message, not just receiving a settlement in cash. In this way, we are telling the tech giants that our privacy matters!

 Key Takeaways:

• The 2020 TikTok data breach is a major privacy wake-up call for everyone.
• People are fighting back with class action lawsuits – it’s not just about the money.
• This incident from 2020 is a reality check for tech companies to prioritize our data security.
• Whether you were affected or are just exploring options, you can check your eligibility for compensation.

TikTok Data Breaches Explained

What Happened?

TikTok data breaches have involved several incidents over the years. These breaches raised questions about the platform’s data security measures. It was revealed in 2022 that staff members of TikTok’s parent business, ByteDance, had access to user data in the United States.

Concerns regarding data access mechanisms and user privacy were brought to light by this occurrence. In addition, TikTok was hit with a large fine in 2023 for violating the GDPR, underscoring the legislative and legal difficulties around data protection.

 Timeline

• 2023 (October): Utah’s Lawsuit Against TikTok. Utah accused TikTok of harming children by keeping them engaged on the platform for unhealthy periods. The state’s Attorney General, Sean Reyes, emphasized the app’s deceptive nature and its impact on children’s mental health and physical development.
• 2023 (April): TikTok Fined £12.7 Million by the UK. The British Information Commissioner’s Office fined TikTok for violating the GDPR, notably for collecting children’s data without parental consent, and failing to transparently handle user data.
• 2023 (March): Arkansas’s Legal Action. Arkansas sued TikTok and Facebook-parent Meta for promoting addictive platforms, highlighting broader concerns about social media’s impact on young users.
• 2022 (December): TikTok’s Parent Company ByteDance Spies on Journalists. ByteDance employees used IP addresses to track reporters, leading to the firing of four employees, including the chief internal auditor, despite previous denials of such capabilities.
• 2022 (December): Indiana’s Lawsuits Against TikTok. Indiana has filed two significant lawsuits against TikTok. The first lawsuit criticizes the platform for exposing young teens to adult content. The second lawsuit focuses on the security risks posed by China’s potential access to user data, accusing TikTok of acting like a “Chinese trojan horse.” The lawsuit filed by Indiana against TikTok was dismissed, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal challenges faced by the social media platform.
• 2022 (September): False Alarm of Alleged TikTok Breach by AgainstTheWest. Claims of a TikTok hack were debunked as data was found to be publicly accessible, leading to the banning of the hacker from Breach Forums for false claims.
• 2022 (June): Chinese Access to American TikTok User Data Exposed. Despite claims of data protection, Buzzfeed News revealed Chinese TikTok employees had access to American user data, contradicting TikTok’s public statements and internal policies.
• 2020 (August): 235 Million Profiles from TikTok and Others Exposed. An unsecured database managed by Social Data, after taking over from Deep Social, leaked details from millions of social media accounts, including users’ names, ages, and contact information.
• 2020 (August ): Class Action Lawsuit Over TikTok’s Data Collection on 89 Million Users. The lawsuit focused on improper data collection, especially of children, leading to a $92 million settlement in February 2021, although TikTok disagreed with the claims.
• 2019 (February): TikTok’s $5.7 Million Fine for Musical.ly’s Child Privacy Breaches. The FTC fined TikTok for Musical.ly’s violation of child privacy laws, including the public display and collection of children’s personal information without parental consent.

Will there be a compensation?

It’s common for large-scale data breaches to result in compensation for affected individuals. The exact TikTok settlement amount may vary based on factors like the user’s location and the extent of the data breach.

Legal Proceedings and TikTok Settlement

TikTok’s GDPR Challenges in the European Union

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU has been a significant hurdle for TikTok. The platform faced a substantial fine of €345 million from the Irish Data Protection Commission. This fine underscored the platform’s inadequacies in safeguarding the data of minors, a crucial aspect under GDPR’s stringent rules.

UK’s Fine for Underage Data Processing

In the United Kingdom, TikTok was fined $16 million for processing the data of underage kids without obtaining the necessary consent. This incident not only illustrates the tightening of data protection and privacy rules worldwide but also the increasing accountability expected of technology companies. In February 2019, TikTok also received a $5.7 Million fine for Muscial.ly’s Violations of Child Privacy Laws.

August 2020 Class Action Lawsuit

The issue of data privacy and protection has been a recurring theme in the saga of TikTok’s legal challenges, further exemplified by a significant class action lawsuit filed in August 2020. This $92 million lawsuit was a response to allegations that TikTok had improperly collected the personal data of approximately 89 million users, a staggering number that highlights the magnitude of the concern over privacy breaches.

Other State and Federal Concerns

Montana is preparing for a legal battle over its proposed state ban on TikTok, citing spying concerns. In October 2023, the FBI raised alarms about China’s potential use of TikTok for espionage, noting that China has stolen more American data than any other nation.

Congress is debating legislation that would empower the Biden administration to restrict or ban TikTok over espionage concerns. This legislative move reflects the growing unease about the influence of foreign-owned apps on national security.

TikTok’s Reaction

In reaction to these charges, TikTok has highlighted its data security initiatives and stated it had invested more than $1.5 billion in this field. The company claims to include parental control and time limits, two of the best safeguards in the industry for younger users.

How to Claim TikTok Compensation

If you want to get compensation for the data breach, you need to join a group lawsuit, also known as a class action. When you do this, you’ll work with a financial litigation partner who handles everything for you. That is us! Your task is just to apply and then wait to get money. 

Remunzo handles all the hard work. We set up the lawsuit and take the corporation to court for you. Corporations don’t want to pay money easily, but Remunzo will fight hard to get your settlement payout. When joining thousands of others in a lawsuit like this, the corporation is more likely to pay and the settlement payment amount per person i.e. how much will you get tends to be higher.

Remunzo will keep you updated about the settlement status. But you need to be patient because it can take months till the settlement payments are done and you get paid. 

Quickly check your eligibility and compensation amount with our simple data leak checker. In under 2 minutes, you’ll know how much money you can get and will be able to claim compensation. Give it a try!

Impact of the TikTok Data Breach on Users

The vulnerabilities on TikTok had a major impact on users. Check Point researchers found security holes that may have given hackers access to personal information, including email addresses, the ability to control TikTok accounts, and even the ability to release private films online.

The flaws included Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), which permitted redirection to malicious websites, and SMS Link Spoofing, which allowed attackers to send a link to download the app and exploit data.

These problems presented huge risks, particularly in light of TikTok’s large user base, which is made up largely of youthful and possibly vulnerable people. Yet, TikTok quickly fixed the errors after being made aware of them.

TikTok’s Response and Changes in Data Security

In response to allegations of unsecured user data, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, provided a detailed explanation, emphasizing that TikTok was already compliant with U.S. data security protocols.

The company’s Project Texas effort, which it collaborates on with Oracle and Booz Allen, is centered on protecting user data in the United States. Chew highlighted that concerns regarding data security procedures resulted from some workers’ partial lack of project visibility.

TikTok disputes any control or access to U.S. user data by the Chinese government and upholds stringent restrictions over data access, monitored by a U.S.-based security team.

Future Implications and Impact on the Industry

The TikTok data breach and the company’s response may have far-reaching implications for the tech industry. It attracts focus on how crucial data security and privacy are becoming to social media networks.

● Users may be cautious about the information they provide online as a result of this situation, which could result in more strict data protection regulations across the board.

● Regaining consumers’ trust will be critical for TikTok, which might need to show its dedication to data security on a regular basis.

This instance highlights a larger trend in the digital sector, where users’ and regulators’ growing concerns about data privacy are being addressed.

The Broader Context

The TikTok controversy reflects broader issues in social media’s societal impact, particularly on young users. It highlights the ethical duties of social media companies and the balance between innovation, privacy, and security.

As of early 2023, various governments have implemented partial or total bans on TikTok due to concerns about privacy, cybersecurity, and the potential misuse of data. These bans primarily affect government-issued devices, with some countries contemplating broader restrictions.

• Australia: The Australian federal government has banned TikTok from its devices, following advice from intelligence and security agencies.
• Belgium: The Belgian government imposed a six-month ban on TikTok on federal government devices, citing cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation concerns.
• Canada: The Canadian government announced a ban on TikTok from government-issued devices, citing “unacceptable” risks to privacy and security.
• Denmark: The Danish Defense Ministry banned TikTok on official devices as a cybersecurity measure.
• European Union: The European Parliament, European Commission, and EU Council have imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices.
• India: In 2020, India imposed a ban on TikTok and other Chinese apps over privacy and security concerns.
• Netherlands: The Dutch interior ministry discouraged the use of apps from countries with aggressive cyber programs, including China, on government phones.
• New Zealand: TikTok was banned from government lawmakers’ phones, affecting about 500 people in the parliamentary complex.
• Norway: The Norwegian parliament banned TikTok from work devices, following warnings about potential risks from Russia and China.
• Taiwan: The Taiwanese government banned TikTok from public sector communications devices, citing national security risks.
• United Kingdom: The UK has taken similar steps to ban TikTok on government devices.
• United States: The U.S. government ordered federal agencies to delete TikTok from federal devices over data security concerns. More than half of the U.S. states have also banned the app from government devices.

These measures reflect growing apprehensions about TikTok’s data practices and its ties to China, amidst broader concerns about digital privacy and security in the era of social media. 

Other Famous Incidences of Privacy Breaches

TikTok is not the only one who got its data stolen. Hundreds of other companies have faced or will face data breaches. Therefore, we strongly suggest using our Compensation Calculator. This tool will help you find out how many compensation claims you are eligible for and how much money you might get—and we can help you easily get it.

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Conclusion

With its huge collection of private data, including children’s information, the TikTok data leak caused serious worries about user safety and digital privacy. It shows how important it is for digital platforms, especially those used by young, sensitive users, to have strong data protection policies in place. 

This circumstance should serve as a reminder to tech companies and users equally to make data security and privacy a priority in our increasing digital environment.

TikTok’s impact on children is also a significant concern. The app’s potentially harmful content and addictive nature pose risks to their mental and physical well-being and their social behavior. Parental controls, while helpful, may not fully mitigate these risks.

Are you missing out on other data breach payouts? Try our compensation calculator and find out now!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Maheshwari S. TikTok quietly changes user terms amid growing legal scrutiny. The New York Times [Internet]. 2023 Dec 17; Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/business/media/tiktok-changes-user-terms.html
2. Brennan D, Salizzo C, O’Keeffe R, Barlow M. DPC Fines TikTok €345m for GDPR Violations Concerning Children’s Data [Internet]. Lexology. 2023. Available from: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=518f3ca6-9a1f-45f2-ab9f-6ece4a76365f
3. BBC News. TikTok sued for billions over use of children’s data. BBC News [Internet]. 2021 Apr 21; Available from:
   https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56815480
4. TikTok receives significant GDPR fine for mishandling Children’s Data – BDO [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://www.bdo.co.uk/en-gb/insights/advisory/risk-and-advisory-services/tiktok-receives-significant-gdpr-fine-for-mishandling-childrens-data
5.   Cisomag. TikTok security vulnerabilities could expose user data. CISO MAG | Cyber Security Magazine [Internet]. 2020 Jan 9; Available from: https://cisomag.com/tiktok-security-vulnerabilities-could-expose-user-data/
6. CNN Business: Judge dismisses Indiana state’s lawsuit against TikTok over child safety concerns 30 Nov. 2023: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/30/tech/indiana-tiktok-lawsuit-dismissed/index.html