France Data Protection Watchdog Fines TikTok For Privacy Violations

Chinese-owned video-sharing platform TikTok has been fined $5.4 million by France Data Protection Watchdog CNIL, for privacy violations.

The CNIL which has carried out several online missions on TikTok disclosed that on its findings, the social media platform failed to comply with the obligations provided for by Article 82 of the data protection act.

In one of its findings, the watchdog company disclosed that while TikTok U.K and TikTok Ireland offered a button to immediately accept cookies, they however failed to set up an equivalent solution button to allow users to refuse their deposit easily, noting that several clicks were required to refuse all cookies, compared to only one to accept them.

Also, the CNIL disclosed that the restricted information considered that making the opt-put mechanism more complex is discouraging users from refusing cookies which encouraged them to prefer the ease of the “Accept all” button.

It further concluded that this process by TikTok infringed on the freedom and consent of users which violated article 82 of the data protection act since it was not as simple to refuse cookies as to accept them.

This prompted them to slam the social media company with a fine, which they disclosed that the amount was decided in view of the breaches retained, i.e the number of persons concerned which include minors.

However, a spokesperson at TikTok disclosed that these findings by CNIL relate to its past practices which were addressed last year, noting that the company has now made it easier for users to reject non-essential cookies and also provided additional information about the purpose of the cookies.

Investors King understands that in January this year, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew met with European Union (EU) officials about a strict new digital regulation in the 27-nation bloc, as the social media app faces growing scrutiny from Western authorities over data privacy, cybersecurity and misinformation.