TikTok UK child personal data harvesting

TikTok is facing a legal action in the UK for processing childrens' data with inadequate security, transparency and legitimate interest, and for failing to secure the consent of their parents. 

Anne Longfield, the former UK Children's Commissioner, served notice against TikTok and its owner Bytedance under UK and EU data protection laws on behalf of an anonymous twelve-year old girl. 

The class action lawsuit stretches back to May 25 2018, and includes users of TikTok predecessor Musical.ly.

Under 18 year-olds are estimated to comprise aroud half of TikTok's users in the UK, and claims may count in the billions should the action prove successful.