Democratic Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois on Friday responded to news of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) suing TikTok by calling for “comprehensive” legislation that would protect children and adults online.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that the DOJ is accusing the popular short-form video hosting service of “violating children’s online privacy law and running afoul of a settlement it had reached with another federal agency.”

The DOJ filed the lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and it comes after President Joe Biden signed legislation earlier this year that requires TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest ownership of the app within 12 months or face a ban in the United States.

“Americans, especially our kids, are suffering online. In yet another example, @TheJusticeDept is suing TikTok after the @FTC found TikTok knowingly & repeatedly violated kids’ privacy,” Schakowsky wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Jan Schakowsky speaks in Washington
In the main image, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky is seen speaking at United States Capitol Building on July 12, 2016, in Washington, DC. The smaller photo taken in Paris on April 19, 2024, shows a man…


Photos by Leigh Vogel/ANTONIN UTZ/AFP/Getty Images

She added: “Comprehensive data privacy legislation is needed NOW to better protect kids & adults online.”

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.