TikTok Gets Slapped with a Class Action Lawsuit in Berlin: Daily Dose of Justice
User claim: TikTok should be compelled to provide reparations to its users - TikTok to shell out financial compensation to users
Fancy some legal drama with your morning coffee? Stepping into the courtroom spotlight is the popular video-sharing platform, TikTok. The Dutch consumer champion, Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi), has swung open the court doors at the Kammergericht Berlin, and TikTok is face-to-face with a class action lawsuit. A court spokesperson has confirmed this exciting development.
Consumers in Germany can join this spirited legal fracas, effortlessly signing up online. Just a couple of months ago, Somi took a similar legal stance against Elon Musk's X platform in Berlin.
The accusations fly thick and fast: TikTok is allegedly harvesting and crunching personal information clandestinely, all while covertly crafting all-encompassing behavioral and personality profiles for advertisers and other commercial pursuits. More than that, experts claim the Chinese company, Bytedance, manipulates and creates dependency among children and young people through the design of their algorithm.
TikTok remains tight-lipped on the matter, refusing to comment as of yet.
To lend their support to this legal extravaganza, afflicted consumers can register in the lawsuit registry of the Federal Office of Justice. If they eventually triumph, they can expect their rightful earnings to bypass the need for further legal wrangling, courtesy of the class action. Word on the street is that this is the court spokesperson's promise.
The Dutch defenders of consumer rights are demanding financial compensation for TikTok's registered users in their lawsuit. The amount depends on the user's age at the time of signing up: those who joined TikTok before their 16th birthday could get a generous €2,000, residents between ages 16 and 21 can look forward to €1,000, and those over 21 can anticipate €500.
The class action lawsuit by Somi is yet to be publicly announced on the Federal Office of Justice (BfJ) website. However, you can expect the official announcement within the next few days, and consumers can submit their claims there. Keep your eyes peeled, as the BfJ will soon provide a registration form on their website (www.bundesjustizamt.de/verbandsklagen). The Federal Office advises using the electronic registration option for quick, hassle-free submissions. The submission period for claims will last for three weeks following the conclusion of the oral hearing.
In the world of epic legal battles, this one's certainly establishing a name for itself. So, get your popcorn ready, as this TikTok trial is sure to be a thrilling ride!
- Berlin Class Action
- TikTok
- Kammergericht Berlin
- Class action lawsuit
- Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie
- Dutch consumer protection
- Illegal data collection
- Advertising manipulation
- Federal Office of Justice
- Germany
- Elon Musk
- ByteDance Ltd.
- Young people
While we're unable to reveal the exact amount of compensation TikTok may be required to pay as a result of the class action lawsuit filed by Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie, it's worth noting that in a previous U.S. class action settlement over COPPA violations, TikTok was ordered to pay $1.1 million, although this case in Berlin carries no direct connection to the one in the States.
- The class action lawsuit filed by Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie in Berlin against TikTok alleges that the company is harvesting and using personal data clandestinely, a practice which violates the privacy of German consumers.
- If successful, the class action lawsuit against TikTok in Berlin could result in financial compensation for affected consumers, with those who joined TikTok before their 16th birthday potentially receiving up to €2,000 each.
