TikTok Privacy Violations Trigger GDPR Complaints in EU

TikTok privacy violations have landed the company, along with AliExpress and WeChat, in hot water with European regulators. Austrian data rights group noyb has filed formal GDPR complaints against the Chinese tech giants, citing a lack of transparency and blatant disregard for EU data laws.

According to noyb, all three platforms failed to provide users with access to their personal data—a direct violation of Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Broken Promises and Missing Data

While most major platforms offer automated tools for users to access their data, the Chinese apps allegedly ignored or mishandled user requests.

• TikTok shared only a partial, unstructured data dump that users couldn’t interpret.
• AliExpress sent a broken file that worked once—then failed.
• WeChat didn’t respond at all.

Instead of fixing the issue, all three platforms followed up with generic copies of their privacy policies. According to noyb, this tactic fails to fulfill the legal obligations of GDPR.

Broader Campaign Against Chinese Tech

The complaints are part of a wider noyb campaign targeting Chinese companies for their EU data practices. Other firms like Shein, Temu, and Xiaomi also received complaints—but unlike TikTok and its peers, they eventually responded with additional data.

Noyb now urges Austria’s data protection authority to take action. Under GDPR, companies that violate Article 15 can face fines of up to 4% of their global revenue. For AliExpress, that could mean a penalty exceeding €147 million.

Legal Pressure Builds

“TikTok, AliExpress, and WeChat clearly violate the GDPR,” noyb stated. “They show no interest in providing users with full access to their data or complying with transparency rules.”

The group hopes that strict enforcement and heavy fines will push these companies to comply with EU laws—or face serious financial consequences.

Conclusion

The TikTok privacy violations case highlights growing tensions between Chinese tech giants and European regulators. If EU watchdogs take action, these complaints could trigger massive fines and force changes in how platforms handle user data. For now, users are left in the dark—and privacy groups are turning up the heat.