The popular short video app Tiktok is targeted by European consumer advocates. The European consumer association Beuc filed a complaint about the video portal with the EU Commission and the network of national consumer protection authorities on Tuesday. “Tiktok lets its users down by violating their rights en masse,” said General Manager Monique Goyens. “Children love Tiktok, but the company fails to protect them.”

Specifically, the consumer advocates complain that children and young people are not adequately protected from hidden advertising and potentially harmful content. The procedure for processing personal data is also misleading. Several clauses of the terms of use are unfair. The authorities are expected to extensively investigate the Tiktok practices and take action, Beuc said on Tuesday. In addition, the national authorities would be urged to take action.

According to the Tiktok Terms of Use, you must be at least 13 years old to use Tiktok. Users under the age of 18 officially require the consent of a legal guardian, but this is not actually obtained by the operators of the application. (apa / dpa)