French Families Sue TikTok over Alleged Failure to Remove Harmful Content

A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken January 6, 2020. (Reuters)
A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken January 6, 2020. (Reuters)
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French Families Sue TikTok over Alleged Failure to Remove Harmful Content

A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken January 6, 2020. (Reuters)
A TikTok logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken January 6, 2020. (Reuters)

Seven French families have filed a lawsuit against social media giant TikTok, accusing the platform of exposing their adolescent children to harmful content that led to two of them taking their own lives at 15, their lawyer said on Monday.

The lawsuit alleges TikTok's algorithm exposed the seven teenagers to videos promoting suicide, self-harm and eating disorders, lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion told broadcaster franceinfo.

The families are taking joint legal action in the Créteil judicial court. Boutron-Marmion said it was the first such grouped case in Europe.

"The parents want TikTok's legal liability to be recognized in court", she said, adding: "This is a commercial company offering a product to consumers who are, in addition, minors. They must, therefore, answer for the product's shortcomings."

TikTok, like other social media platforms, has long faced scrutiny over the policing of content on its app.

As with Meta's Facebook and Instagram, it faces hundreds of lawsuits in the US accusing them of enticing and addicting millions of children to their platforms, damaging their mental health.

TikTok could not immediately be reached for comment on the allegations.

The company has previously said it took issues that were linked to children's mental health seriously. CEO Shou Zi Chew this year told US lawmakers the company has invested in measures to protect young people who use the app.



Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Academy Selected as Google Cloud's Training Partner

Google Cloud's endorsement of Tuwaiq Academy highlights the institution's adherence to worldwide standards
Google Cloud's endorsement of Tuwaiq Academy highlights the institution's adherence to worldwide standards
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Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Academy Selected as Google Cloud's Training Partner

Google Cloud's endorsement of Tuwaiq Academy highlights the institution's adherence to worldwide standards
Google Cloud's endorsement of Tuwaiq Academy highlights the institution's adherence to worldwide standards

Tuwaiq Academy in Saudi Arabia has been selected as a Google Cloud Authorized Training Partner (ATP) to introduce boot camps and programs featuring professional certifications.

Moreover, a number of the academy's staff members have received certification in instructing Google Cloud's cloud computing technologies and services.

Google Cloud's endorsement of Tuwaiq Academy highlights the institution's adherence to worldwide standards in fostering expertise in cloud infrastructure, data science, machine learning, and application development while providing professional certifications.

These certifications include certified professional cloud architect, certified professional data engineer, certified professional cloud developer, certified professional cloud security engineer, and certified professional machine learning engineer. This milestone follows the staff's acquisition of various professional certifications in teaching cutting-edge technologies across multiple cloud computing disciplines.

CEO of Tuwaiq Academy Abdulaziz Alhammadi highlighted the academy's dedication to forging partnerships with prominent global organizations to offer professional boot camps and programs within an environment equipped with the latest technologies. The objective is to cultivate outstanding national talents capable of developing innovative solutions across diverse sectors.

Tuwaiq Academy stands out as the first of its kind to offer a multitude of boot camps and programs in partnership with leading global entities, benefiting more than 1,000 trainees daily. The academy employs a practical application-based learning methodology to remain current with modern technological advancements and align with the job market demands.