ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, is facing a class-action lawsuit over its CapCut video-editing app. The lawsuit, filed in Illinois, claims that CapCut is collecting data from its more than 200 million active users without consent, including face scans, voiceprints, location data, and more. The app is also accused of violating the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by collecting biometric data without informing users or obtaining express permission.
The suit further alleges that CapCut’s privacy policy is designed to make it difficult for users to understand or provide meaningful consent. It also raises concerns about data potentially being shared with the Chinese government, as ByteDance is headquartered in Beijing. The plaintiffs are seeking to block ByteDance from sending CapCut user data to China and to compel the company to delete unlawfully obtained user data and content. The lawsuit also seeks unspecified damages.
ByteDance has been under scrutiny over data privacy and security concerns related to TikTok, and this new lawsuit adds to the company’s legal challenges.
