TikTok is in hot water again, and this time, it's in the EU. The European Consumer Organization (BEUC), has filed a complaint against TikTok for violating numerous consumer laws, including a failure to properly protect children on the app.

TikTok Under Fire for Privacy and Child Safety Issues

In a detailed report on the BEUC website, the organization announced that it has filed a complaint against TikTok with the European Commission. The BEUC stated that the Chinese-owned platform "falls foul of multiple breaches of EU consumer rights and fails to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content."

The BEUC suggests that TikTok is filled with concealed marketing tactics. As an example, the BEUC cited that TikTok often encourages users to participate in branded hashtag challenges, which ultimately serve as advertisements for products.

The organization also alleged that TikTok isn't doing enough to protect children and teenagers from inappropriate content, as it stated that suggestive content is often "just a few scrolls away." And while TikTok does have parental controls, parents aren't always proactive in keeping on top of these features, leaving kids to roam freely on the app.

Besides the app's alleged lack of safety features and potentially deceptive marketing tactics, the BEUC argues that TikTok's "practices for the processing of users' personal data are misleading." The BEUC states that the platform hasn't presented its data processing information in a way that children and teenagers can understand, and also doesn't specify what personal data is collected and why.

The BEUC has even expressed concern about TikTok's Terms of Service, and calls them "unfair." It claims that these terms give TikTok the right to "distribute and reproduce" the videos posted on the app without compensating users.

With all of these issues in mind, the BEUC has officially filed its complaints and is urging authorities to launch an investigation. Consumer organizations in 15 European countries have also joined in, and have already alerted authorities. Maryant Fernández, a senior digital policy officer at the BEUC sent out a Tweet summing up the organization's complaints.

TikTok replied to these allegations in a statement on a Reuters report. A TikTok spokesperson stated, “We’re always open to hearing how we can improve, and we have contacted BEUC as we would welcome a meeting to listen to their concerns."

Will TikTok Take Action?

TikTok has seen its fair share of controversy since its launch in 2018. India barred access to the short-form video platform in 2020, and the US nearly banned the app as well.

That said, TikTok will likely be required to fix the issues highlighted by the BEUC, otherwise, it may have to face the consequences.