TikTok submitted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that New York state brought against it in a memorandum on Wednesday in a case alleging violation of consumer protection and product-liability laws. TikTok based its motion to dismiss on the grounds that the plaintiff’s claims are legally defective, and because New York failed “to state a cause of action,” according to the court document.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) on Friday announced a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteData for allegations that the social media app is harmful to children and has misrepresented the potential for the Chinese government to access Virginia residents’ data.
President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing DOJ not to enforce the TikTok divestment law for 75 days while the parties “determine the appropriate course forward.”
A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law forcing ByteDance to divest TikTok, citing Congress’ “well-supported national security concerns.”
A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law forcing ByteDance to divest TikTok, citing Congress’ “well-supported national security concerns.”
National security surveillance, First Amendment issues and age-gating will be key privacy and technology policy areas to watch under the incoming administration, said Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) staff during a webinar Thursday.
Austrian privacy advocacy group Noyb Thursday sued TikTok, AliExpress, Shein, Temu, WeChat and Xiaomi under the General Data Protection Regulation for unlawfully transferring Europeans' personal data to China. Noyb said four of the companies conceded sending the data to China, and two acknowledged sending it to undisclosed third countries. EU law is clear, the group said: Data transfers are allowed only if the destination country doesn't undermine data protection: "Given that China is an authoritarian surveillance state, companies can't realistically shield EU users' data from access by the Chinese Authorities." The emergence of Chinese apps opens a front for EU data protection law, Noyb said.
New technologies such as the use of pixels have led to a surge -- beginning in 2022 -- of litigation involving older privacy laws because newer legislation lacks a private right of action, privacy lawyers said during a webinar Wednesday.
A kids social media bill requiring age verification cleared the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee with an amendment in a 10-1 vote at a livestreamed hearing Wednesday. The bill would prohibit kids 15 years old and younger from accessing social media unless they have parental permission.
Bipartisan, bicameral legislation filed Tuesday seeks a 270-day delay for ByteDance’s Jan. 19 deadline to divest TikTok (see 2501100058). Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; and Cory Booker, D-N.J., along with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act. “The TikTok ban was rushed through without sufficient consideration of the profound consequences it would have on the 170 million Americans who use the platform,” said Markey. The bill “is a straightforward, one-sentence bill designed to give Congress the time needed to fully assess the implications of this ban.”