TikTok is under investigation by the FTC over data practices and could face a lawsuit

A person familiar with the matter says the Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over its data and security practices. NEW YORK - The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over its data and security practices, a probe that could lead to a settlement or a lawsuit against the company, according to a person familiar with the matter. The investigation is the latest battle in Washington for the social media company, which is already fighting against a federal bill that could ban the platform in the U.S. if it doesn't break ties with its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance. In its investigation, the FTC has been looking into whether TikTok violated a portion of federal law that prohibits "Unfair and deceptive" business practices by denying that individuals in China had access to U.S. user data, said the person, who is not authorized to discuss the investigation. FTC spokesperson Nicole Drayton and TikTok declined to comment on the investigation, which was first reported by Politico. The agency is nearing the conclusion of its investigation and could settle with TikTok in the coming weeks. The news comes nearly two years after Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner and Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the committee, urged FTC chair Lina Khan to investigate TikTok, citing a report from Buzzfeed News that said ByteDance employees in China have repeatedly accessed data on U.S. TikTok users.