Bloomingdale's Faces New Privacy Allegations Over TikTok Tracking

Mia Almeida -

In a digital age where clicks turn into data and every online interaction traces a path, Bloomingdale’s finds itself under legal scrutiny. The glitzy retailer, synonymous with high fashion, has unexpectedly come into focus for something far less glamorous: privacy violations.

The Lawsuit Unfurled

A California resident, Kirra Hanson, has taken a stand, filing a class-action lawsuit in the Central District of California against Bloomingdale’s. The claim? Alleged violations of a California privacy law, with Hanson pointing an accusatory finger at TikTok’s tracking technology as the silent collector of visitor data on Bloomingdales.com. According to Hanson, the software captures device details, browser specifics, and even geolocation data, painting a vivid picture of online visitors.

Data Trails Across Borders

The most disconcerting allegations highlight TikTok’s software potentially gathering users’ names and passwords, with data allegedly crossing into territories like China and Russia. This strikes an unnerving chord in a world increasingly aware of data sovereignty and privacy concerns. As the lawsuit cites an ABC News report from 2023, TikTok had once claimed that all new U.S. data would be routed to Oracle, accessible only by U.S. employees.

Hanson’s legal argument leverages the California Invasion of Privacy Act, targeting Bloomingdale’s purported use of “trap and trace” technology. The law, designed to protect digital communications from silent interception, anchors the lawsuit in a legal framework reflecting modern anxieties about privacy.

Bloomingdale’s legal challenges are not isolated. This suit is but one of the many emerging across web companies accused of flouting California’s privacy protections through aggressive analytics practices. Past cases offer a mixed bag of outcomes, sowing uncertainty about what future verdicts may hold.

The Court of Public Opinion

While a federal appeals court recently dismissed a related complaint against Bloomingdale’s, indicating insufficient evidence from the plaintiff, Hanson’s case may shed further light on the intricate nuances of digital privacy laws. However, clarity will be paramount, as legal interpretations lag behind rapidly advancing technology.

Echoes in the Digital World

In a separate decision, Massachusetts’ court ruled that hospitals aren’t culpable under wiretap laws for sharing browsing activity with Google and Meta. This highlights a growing disparity between outdated legal language and current digital practices.

As Bloomingdale’s maintains a silent stance, opting out of commenting on ongoing litigation, this lawsuit reaffirms the uneasy relationship between consumer interests and corporate practices in the realm of online privacy.

According to MediaPost, privacy laws and digital practices continue to clash in the courtroom, fueling a dialogue that only appears poised to intensify.