Lawsuit Filed Against TikTok for Consumer Compensation

A consumer protection organization based in the Netherlands has initiated a lawsuit against TikTok, seeking compensation for users affected by alleged data privacy violations. The case was filed in the Berlin Regional Court and represents the interests of consumers who believe their personal data has been mishandled.

The Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi), which specializes in collective legal actions related to data privacy against major tech companies, claims that TikTok has unlawfully collected sensitive personal data. Furthermore, the organization alleges that the platform, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, secretly compiles extensive behavioral and personality profiles for commercial purposes, particularly targeting advertising.

The lawsuit also raises concerns about the platform's impact on children and adolescents, arguing that TikTok's algorithm fosters a system of manipulation and dependency. As of now, TikTok has not issued a public response regarding these allegations.

Consumers wishing to join the collective lawsuit can register their claims online with the Federal Office of Justice in Germany. If successful, participants in the lawsuit will not need to file individual claims; they will receive compensation directly as part of the group action.

Somi is seeking compensation for registered users of TikTok, with amounts varying based on the user's age at the time they began using the app. Users who were under 16 years old when they started using TikTok could be entitled to EUR2,000, while those aged between 16 and 21 may receive EUR1,000. Users older than 21 are eligible for EUR500 in compensation.

Although the lawsuit has not yet been officially listed in the Federal Office of Justice's public registry, an announcement is expected soon. Consumers and small businesses will then have the opportunity to submit their claims. The office will provide an online registration form to facilitate this process, which is encouraged for a quicker submission.

Claims can be registered up to three weeks following the conclusion of the oral proceedings.