Last updated on February 27th, 2024 at 12:03 pm

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has launched an inquiry into the platform’s use of marketing pixels to track people’s online habits

Australia’s privacy watchdog has initiated an investigation into TikTok’s data collection practices, focusing on whether it gathers personal data with proper consent. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) is specifically looking into TikTok’s use of marketing pixels, which track users’ online activities, including shopping behavior, website visit durations, and personal information like email addresses and phone numbers. Senator James Paterson, a vocal critic of TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, has accused the platform of using pixels to gather data from individuals who do not use TikTok.

Senator Paterson expressed concern over TikTok’s data practices, highlighting the platform’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party and suggesting that its obligation under Chinese law to share data with government agencies is alarming. However, a TikTok spokesperson rebutted these claims, stating that their use of marketing pixels complies with Australian privacy laws and regulations. The spokesperson emphasized that the adoption of pixels by advertising clients is voluntary and is a common industry practice to enhance advertising effectiveness.

The OAIC initiates an inquiry to determine if there is sufficient evidence for a formal investigation into the allegations. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus stated that the privacy commissioner has been granted additional legislative powers for information gathering in such inquiries. He expects TikTok to be transparent and cooperate fully with the privacy commissioner when serious allegations like these are raised.

New privacy legislation, stemming from a review of the privacy act, is anticipated to be introduced in parliament in the coming year.

Paterson has spearheaded a campaign against TikTok since assuming the shadow home affairs portfolio, advocating for the app and its Chinese-owned parent company to be treated as a “serious national security threat.”

He stated, “These latest revelations add to a series of misconduct by TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, including using the TikTok app to spy on journalists, censoring content critical of the Chinese Communist party, and attempting to mislead the public about ByteDance’s extensive ties to the Chinese government.”

Paterson emphasized the need for TikTok to be transparent, cooperate fully with Australia’s regulatory authorities, and refrain from the evasion seen previously when under scrutiny.

TikTok recently faced a €345m ($560m) fine for violating EU data laws regarding children’s accounts, following a £12.7m ($24m) fine by the UK data watchdog for unlawfully processing the data of 1.4 million children under 13 who used its platform.

The app was prohibited on Australian government devices earlier this year, following similar bans in other Western nations. The Albanese government expressed concerns about the app’s “significant security and privacy risks to non-corporate Commonwealth entities” due to its extensive data collection and potential exposure to foreign government directives that conflict with Australian law.

Despite these controversies, TikTok reported 8.5 million Australian users in June and has become the preferred social media app for Generation Z.