Privacy groups: TikTok app violating children's privacy
Beijing: Privacy watchdogs say that the popular TikTok video app is violating a children's privacy law and putting kids at risk.
A coalition of 20 groups, including Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Center for Digital Democracy, filed a complaint Thursday with the Federal Trade Commission saying that TikTok is collecting personal information of kids under 13 without their parents' consent.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has exploded in popularity with young people thanks to its goofy, lighthearted feel and ease of use.
At the same time, it's drawn scrutiny from U.S. officials concerned about national-security risks due to its Chinese ownership and its popularity with kids.
TikTok paid a 5.7 million fine to the FTC in 2019 over collecting personal information from kids under 13, a violation of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. It revamped its app with a restricted mode for younger users.
But the privacy groups say it's easy for kids to use TikTok without parental consent. Kids can sign up with a fake birth date to use the full, adult version of the app, putting them at risk for both TikTok's commercial data uses and inappropriate contact from adults," the groups said in a joint news release.
TikTok uses the data it collects from users, like their location, what's in their messages and what videos they watch, to figure out what new videos to show them and for targeted advertising.
The privacy groups asked the FTC to investigate and fine TikTok. The commission said it received the complaint but had no comment on it.
In an emailed statement, TikTok said it takes privacy seriously and is committed to ensuring the app is a safe and entertaining community for users.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
