Kammergericht Berlin Action: TikTok Faces Consumer Class Action Suit - Get Your Compensation!
Lawsuit Demand for Compensation: TikTok Users Claim Financial Restitution - TikTok to Provide Monetary Compensation to Users
Here's the lowdown:
A well-known consumer advocate organization based in the Netherlands, Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi), has taken TikTok, the viral video-sharing platform, to court in Berlin. The announcement was made by a spokesperson from the Kammergericht Berlin. For German consumers, jumping on board this class action suit requires minimal legal hassle. Back in May, Somi also slapped Elon Musk's X platform with a similar lawsuit in Berlin.
Why the lawsuit, you ask? Somi claims TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has been breaking the law by gathering and analyzing users' highly personal data. Intriguingly, the app secretly creates exhaustive behavioral and personality profiles - all for advertising and commercial purposes. On top of that, Somi alleges that TikTok forms a web of manipulation and addiction, primarily for youth and kids, by tweaking its algorithm's design.
TikTok hasn't chimed in on the matter yet.
The lawsuit has already been added to the class action register. To participate, affected consumers can register with the Federal Office of Justice. If the lawsuit triumphs, they won't need to file a lawsuit independently but will receive their due compensation as part of the class action. The court spokesperson confirmed this.
Somi is demanding damages for registered TikTok users in their lawsuit. Compensation will vary according to the user's age at the time they signed up for TikTok:- Users under 16 years old at the time could be in line for a whopping EUR2,000.- Those aged between 16 and 21 could receive EUR1,000.- Users older than 21 can expect EUR500.
The class action lawsuit by Somi hasn't been officially announced on the Federal Office of Justice's website yet, but it's expected to go public soon. Once it does, consumers and small businesses can submit their claims. You can find the application form on the Federal Office's website at www.bundesjustizamt.de/verbandsklagen. They recommend using the electronic option as it offers a quick registration process. Claims can be submitted within three weeks following the conclusion of the oral hearing.
- EC countries' residents, particularly those from Germany, have the freedom to participate in the class action suit against TikTok, thanks to minimal legal barriers.
- In the personal-finance realm, if the class action suit against TikTok by Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (Somi) successful, EC countries' residents might receive compensation based on their age at the time they signed up for TikTok, with potential payouts ranging from €500 to €2,000.
