Video-editing platform CapCut, owned by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is facing a class-action lawsuit for allegedly collecting user data without proper consent. The lawsuit, filed in Illinois, claims that CapCut fails to notify users about its data practices and doesn’t require them to give consent.
The lawsuit highlights one specific plaintiff who used CapCut without creating an account when they were in seventh grade. According to the lawsuit, the app did not require parental consent or provide information about privacy policies.
The privacy concerns raised in the lawsuit are considered particularly significant since ByteDance, a China-based company, is legally required to share information with the Chinese government. Additionally, CapCut is heavily promoted on TikTok, which adds to the concerns surrounding data privacy.
Furthermore, CapCut is accused of violating the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) of Illinois by collecting voiceprints and face scans without informing users. The platform is also alleged to have collected other user information, including geolocations, names, email addresses, social media accounts, and telephone numbers.
The lawsuit claims that the defendants profit from secretly harvesting a vast amount of private and personally identifiable CapCut user data and content. They purportedly use this data for targeted advertising, improvements in artificial intelligence technologies, patent applications, and the development and use of other products.
CapCut, which had 400 million global downloads in 2022 and 200 million active users every month, is now facing legal consequences due to its data practices. The platform is widely used for video editing and is affiliated with TikTok, another popular social media platform.
It is worth noting that several U.S. jurisdictions have already banned TikTok, a trend that some governing bodies in Canada have followed. These actions reflect the increasing concerns and scrutiny over data privacy and the collection practices of these platforms.
The class-action lawsuit against CapCut and ByteDance brings attention to the need for transparency and proper consent when it comes to the collection of user data. As the case progresses, it will likely shed light on broader issues related to data privacy and the responsibility of companies in safeguarding user information.
This incident serves as a reminder to users to be cautious about the data they share and the apps they choose to use, considering the potential risks associated with unauthorized data collection. As technology continues to advance, the protection of personal information remains a crucial aspect that companies should prioritize to uphold the privacy rights of their users.
