TikTok has found itself to be the subject of a lot of news recently. It seems following on from this, another country has decided to start their own investigations into privacy concerns. The privacy protection authorities for Canada, Québec, British Columbia and Alberta have decided to work together on an investigation into TikTok.
This process was started due to a number of class action lawsuits in the US and Canada. While they are now settled it seems the Canadian regulators wish to investigate more thoroughly. TikTok has also been in the news a fair amount recently with there being a lot of speculation and concern around privacy, data usage and protection.
Investigation
The four authorities are likely to start by assessing whether TikTok’s practices comply with their own privacy legislation. Another important aspect of the process will be assessing the way consent is obtained regarding collection, use and disclosure of personal information. Valid and meaningful consent is what organizations should be using at all times when it comes to any data. TikTok’s transparency with regards to data collection will also be looked into.
Given that a large proportion of the app’s users are younger users these obligations are even more important, especially when it comes to protecting minors. The Canadian authorities may have been spurred on by the recent fine from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office. But it seems that there will be a particular focus on TikTok’s practices in relation to children.
The following regulations are the ones that will be used to investigate TikTok’s compliance:
- Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
- Act Respecting the Protection of Personal Information in the Private Sector
- Act to Establish a Legal Framework for Information Technology in Québec
- Personal Information Protection Act (British Columbia)
- Personal Information Protection Act (Alberta)
Value Privacy’s experts are on hand to make sure that you and your company aren’t caught out by new or existing privacy laws.
You can find out more about the services we offer or just get in touch with us directly with any questions you have about how privacy laws impact you.
