Shanmugam Files Lawsuit Against TikTok After Company Refused To Provide Information On 3 Users
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has launched a civil lawsuit against TikTok in a bid to obtain basic information about three TikTok users.
The social media company had allegedly refused to provide basic information against three users, who claimed the minister was involved in an extramarital affair with another Member of Parliament (MP).
Source: MCI Singapore on YouTube
TikTok reportedly claimed that they require a court order to do so.
Shanmugam files lawsuits against TikTok over 3 videos posted in August
According to affidavits seen by TODAY, Mr Shanmugam had filed a civil lawsuit against three users who each made “false and baseless” allegations on TikTok.
The documents stated that the users each posted a video in August containing scandalous allegations against the minister.
These allegations include claims that Mr Shanmugam was involved in an extramarital affair with West Coast MP Foo Mee Har. One of the videos also featured a forum post containing allegations against the minister, attributed to a “Former Mrs K Shanmugam”.
The videos in question appear to have been taken down.
On 15 Aug, Mr Shanmugam shared two Facebook posts addressing the allegations in the videos.
In the first post, he called the allegations involving Ms Foo “false” and “baseless”. He said that he had sought legal advice and was also “considering other options”.
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
In the other post, the minister clarified that his ex-wife had not written the forum post and that an imposter had posted it many years ago.
TikTok refuses to provide information unless there’s a court order
Upon learning about the videos, Mr Shanmugam engaged lawyers who subsequently asked TikTok to disable access to the videos.
The lawyers also asked the social media company to provide the users’ basic subscriber information, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
TikTok, however, said they would not share the information unless Mr Shanmugam obtained a court order or if there were legal requirements.
Unable to identify the TikTok users, Mr Shanmugam said he could not commence direct legal proceedings against them.
As such, he stated in his affidavits that he would require the documents and information to identify the users.
He added that the three users had breached TikTok’s terms by publishing materials “deliberately designed to provoke or intended to harass, harm, hurt, distress, embarrass or upset people”.
Also read: Shanmugam Asks To Leave His Family Alone, Says Allegations Of Son Awarded SLA Contract Are Untrue
Shanmugam Asks To Leave His Family Alone, Says Allegations Of Son Awarded SLA Contract Are Untrue
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Featured image adapted from MCI Singapore on YouTube and Solen Feyissa on Unsplash.
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