TikTok denies Texas lawsuit allegations that it is not doing enough to protect minors’ privacy and give parents sufficient control over their children’s use of the platform.
Attorney General for Texas Ken Paxton filed a suit against TikTok on Thursday, October 3, alleging the social media giant violated a new state law, the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE), designed to protect children online from improper handling of minors’ personal data.
At the heart of Paxton’s complaint is the assertion that TikTok’s current parental control features fall short of the SCOPE Act’s requirements.
“We strongly disagree with these allegations,” a TikTok spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Newsweek.
“In fact, we offer robust safeguards for teens and parents, including Family Pairing, all of which are publicly available,” added the statement. “We stand by the protections we provide families.”
Newsweek contacted the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton for comment via email.
Paxton argues …