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Members of the European Union’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee have called out concerns over a pair of probes launched by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) into TikTok’s use of user data.
The DPC launched a pair of probes in September 2021. The first was to establish TikTok’s level of compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, specifically its data protection by design mandate, and how the app handles users below the age of 18 and their data.
The second inquiry relates to the transfer of data between TikTok and China and how that relates to the GDPR’s requirements for data transfer to third-party countries.
EU lawmakers believe the extended delay is putting people at risk when it comes to possible Chinese surveillance and influence.
“The app reportedly uses excessive permissions and device information collection,” said Patrick Breyer, a member of the German Pirate Party and the European Parliament. “If you remain as inactive as this, as you have been for years, you know this will continue to call into question your competence for [overseeing] the social media companies in Ireland.”
Breyer also criticised the scope of the DPC inquiries, claiming they’re looking at only a “fraction of the privacy concerns” when it comes to TikTok’s data use.
In response, the data protection commissioner— Helen Dixon — said that the findings of the two probes would be released this year and that her office is waiting on final submissions from TikTok. A draft decision has already been made.
The findings could well cause more heartache for the under-fire social media app, after the US state of Montana became the first Western jurisdictions to ban the app outright.
The app is already completely banned in India, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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