TikTok on the Hot Seat: The Kammergericht Berlin Class Action Lawsuit
TikTok Pays Out in Class Action Lawsuit for Users: Compensation Awarded to Affected Consumers - TikTok to pay out financial settlements to users
Hey there! So, this Dutch consumer non-profit, Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi), has thrown some serious allegations at TikTok by filing a class action lawsuit in Berlin's Regional Court, Kammergericht Berlin. The court's spokesperson confirmed the news. This lawsuit allows German consumers to easily join the party online without much hassle from the legal side. Y'know, the typical formalities.
Back in May, Somi leveled similar charges against Elon Musk's X platform in Berlin. Wow, that's some heavy-hitting action!
Somi claims that TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been illegally snagging and analyzing super personal data. But here's a kicker: TikTok secretly crafts comprehensive behavioral and personality profiles for marketing and other money-making purposes! On top of that, TikTok's algorithm design creates a vicious cycle of manipulation and dependency, particularly among children and the youth.
TikTok's yet to spill the beans on this matter.
If you want to join this class action lawsuit and claim your damage, affected consumers can register on the lawsuit registry of the Federal Office of Justice. If the lawsuit wins, they won't have to file a suit themselves. Instead, the dough they're owed will come to them through the class action lawsuit, said the court spokesperson.
Somi is seeking damages for registered TikTok users in its lawsuit. The compensation depends on the user's age: those who were 16 or younger are looking at a payday of 2000 euros, those between 16 and 21 can expect 1000 euros, and users aged 21 or above are eyeballing 500 euros.
The Somi class action lawsuit isn’t officially listed on the Federal Office of Justice website's class action registry yet. But don't worry, it's expected to appear soon, and consumers and businesses can submit their claims then. The Federal Office recommends using the electronic registration option on its website (www.bundesjustizamt.de/verbandsklagen) for quick and easy submissions. Users have three weeks after the oral hearing's conclusion to submit their claims.
By the way, here are some buzzwords to impress your friends: TikTok, Kammergericht Berlin, Berlin, class action lawsuit, Netherlands, video platform, Federal Office of Justice, damages lawsuit, Court spokeswoman, Germany, Elon Musk, ByteDance Ltd., Children.
[1] Enrichment Data:- Lawsuit Details: The lawsuit alleges that TikTok has been engaging in illegal data collection and manipulation, particularly targeting advertising. It also raises concerns about the platform’s impact on children and teenagers, suggesting that TikTok’s algorithm fosters a system of manipulation and dependency.[1]
- Compensation Claims: Consumers wishing to join the collective lawsuit can register their claims online with the Federal Office of Justice in Germany. If the lawsuit is successful, participants could receive compensation without the need for filing individual claims.[1]
- Current Status: TikTok has not yet responded to these allegations. The lawsuit represents a significant collective action effort by Somi, a Dutch consumer protection organization known for its work in data privacy cases against major tech companies.[1]
- Given the ongoing Kammergericht Berlin class action lawsuit against TikTok, it seems that the EC countries' free movement of workers might be jeopardized if companies like ByteDance, owning TikTok, continue to violate user data privacy, restricting the freedom to provide services across various countries, as technology plays a crucial role in this global interconnectedness.
- In the midst of the class action lawsuit in Berlin, overseen by the Federal Office of Justice and focusing on TikTok's questionable data practices, it's essential to consider the implications for technology-enabled freedom: the freedom to provide services, freedom to innovate, and the freedom to connect people without compromising their personal data, especially for the younger generation who may be particularly vulnerable to manipulation by powerful tech companies.
