ByteDance's TikTok has been sued by a British content moderator who claims disability discrimination and a harmful working environment caused stress and pregnancy complications.
Olivia Anton Altamirano, who worked on TikTok's “Badness Project,” which aims to remove harmful content from the platform, claimed in court documents that she was given “unattainable” goals and discriminated against because she has multiple sclerosis. TikTok has denied all the allegations.
TikTok was unable to dismiss all of the claims in the lawsuit, and the judge allowed the case to proceed to the next stage. “I'm not saying that these claims have a high probability of success, but I'm not saying that they have no chance of success,” Judge Mark Emery said after Wednesday's hearing.
Altamirano continues to work at TikTok and has not been given unrealistic goals, the company's lawyers said. Her team managers have ensured she has the appropriate support she needs, given her health condition, the lawyers said in documents prepared for the hearing. Lawyers and spokespeople for TikTok and Altamirano did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“I felt belittled, harassed and humiliated in a toxic work environment,” Altamirano claimed. The stress allegedly led to anxiety, depression and complications during her pregnancy.
The employee lawsuit in the UK adds to a legal quagmire in the US, where a lengthy court battle over a possible ban is looming. A key hearing in the case is scheduled for September 16.
The company is also contesting a lawsuit filed earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Justice, which alleges that ByteDance allowed millions of children under the age of 13 to create accounts without parental consent. TikTok has disputed the allegations, saying many of them are inaccurate or have already been addressed.
Altamirano, who joined TikTok in 2020, is asking a London employment tribunal to order TikTok to pay compensation for emotional damages and health insurance.
First Edition: 28 August 2024 | 6:46 pm IST