TikTok is the subject of two lawsuits in Portugal, brought by the non-governmental organisation Ius Omnibus, which ask for the condemnation of the social network for illegal practices and compensation which could amount to €1.12 billion.

The actions, which were handed out on Tuesday at the Lisbon Central Civil Court, cover users under 13 years old, for whom the association for the defense of consumer rights claims global compensation of up to 450 million euros, but also TikTok users over the age of 13, whose action includes a payment in favour of these users totalling 670 million euros.

At issue in the action aimed at children under 13 is the demonstration that the platform, owned by the Chinese group ByteDance, does not apply the necessary mechanisms to prevent registration and use by children without authorization from parents or legal representatives. In the action aimed at users over 13 years old, “misleading commercial practices” and “opaque privacy policies” are invoked.

Underlining that Portugal is the second European country, after the Netherlands, where lawsuits are filed against TikTok for alleged illegal and abusive practices, Ius Omnibus – which estimates a total of 3.5 million users in the country – emphasises the risks in safeguarding personal data and, above all, in protecting children and young people, who have a significant weight in the universe of users.

“The purpose of the two actions now brought is to prevent the platform from persisting in the numerous illegal practices through which TikTok disrespects privacy and collects and exploits personal and sensitive data of its users without proper authorization, in violation of its legal obligations”, adds the organisation led by secretary general Daniela Antão.

TikTok is being subject to restrictions in several countries, such as the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, France and the Netherlands and in the institutions of the European Union.