Big Tech on the Brink: TikTok, Google & Meta Face Global Reckoning Over Data Privacy

May 29, 2025 | Global Tech Affairs Desk
A global storm is brewing for Big Tech. In 2025, companies like TikTok, Google, and Meta are confronting a surge of legal challenges, international probes, and user mistrust related to how they collect, store, and monetize personal data.

With governments from the United States to the European Union and India taking decisive steps, the pressure on these digital giants has reached a critical threshold. Are we on the verge of the most significant overhaul of global data privacy standards since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?

TikTok: National Security or Digital Scapegoat?

The Chinese-owned platform TikTok has been the epicenter of multiple controversies since 2020, but 2025 marks a turning point. A number of Western governments, including the United States, Canada, France, and Germany, have either partially or fully banned TikTok from government devices. The primary concern? Potential surveillance and unauthorized transfer of user data to Chinese servers.

Key Developments:

• The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a fresh investigation into TikTok’s data handling practices.

• The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined TikTok £12.7 million for failing to protect children’s data.

• The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) is coordinating a joint inquiry across EU member states.

🔗 FTC's official complaint on TikTok

TikTok has denied allegations of espionage and asserts that its “Project Texas”—an initiative to localize U.S. data storage—is evidence of its commitment to compliance. However, critics argue that these measures are cosmetic without complete operational transparency.

Google: The World’s Biggest Surveillance Machine?

Google, the tech behemoth under Alphabet Inc., continues to face scrutiny for its pervasive data practices—from search behavior and email content to location tracking. While Google has introduced user controls and claims to prioritize “privacy by design,” regulators remain unconvinced.

Major Incidents in 2025:

• The European Commission issued a €1.2 billion antitrust fine against Google for allegedly bundling services to maximize user data capture.

• In Australia, a class-action lawsuit accuses Google of deceptive location tracking, even when the setting was turned off.

• India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT is revisiting Google’s compliance under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, with demands for algorithmic transparency.

🔗 European Commission vs. Google – Official Case Files
🔗 Australia’s ACCC vs. Google – Court Rulings

Despite public backlash, Google’s data-driven advertising empire remains intact—raising questions about the limits of regulatory enforcement.

Meta: A Repeat Offender?

If any company symbolizes the ongoing data privacy crisis, it’s Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. From the Cambridge Analytica scandal to unauthorized data scraping incidents, Meta’s reputation for mismanaging user data is notorious.

In 2025, the situation hasn’t improved:

• The Irish Data Protection Commission fined Meta €405 million over children's Instagram profiles violating GDPR.

• The U.S. Senate has revived discussions on the long-stalled American Data Privacy and Protection Act, spurred by whistleblowers revealing internal failures to enforce user privacy at Meta.

• Brazil’s LGPD (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados) regulators issued fresh compliance orders to Meta’s Latin American operations.

🔗 Meta’s privacy violations – Official GDPR case history

The company claims that it is pivoting toward “privacy-first” messaging apps and end-to-end encryption. However, critics highlight inconsistencies, especially in AI-driven content recommendation systems that rely heavily on behavioral data.

The Rise of Global Regulatory Synchronization

For the first time, there appears to be international momentum toward harmonizing data privacy laws. Organizations such as the OECD, G7, and Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) are working on interoperable standards to ensure companies adhere to a baseline of ethical data usage worldwide.

• The OECD’s Recommendation on Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data is being updated to address AI and big data.

• The GPA 2025 Forum, hosted in Tokyo, is focusing on enforcement strategies for multinational digital platforms.

• The UNESCO Digital Ethics Initiative is pushing for a Global Digital Compact to ensure user rights are upheld in cyberspace.

🔗 OECD’s Global Data Privacy Recommendations
🔗 Global Privacy Assembly - 2025 Agenda

Public Sentiment and Digital Literacy

Amid growing awareness, public sentiment has shifted drastically. More users are opting for privacy-focused alternatives like DuckDuckGo, ProtonMail, and Signal. There's also a visible rise in digital literacy campaigns, especially in Asia and Latin America, where misinformation and deepfakes remain rampant.

Efforts like the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and India’s proposed Digital Literacy Mission reflect a growing understanding that empowered users are the first line of defense against data exploitation.

🔗 EU’s Digital Services Act Explained

What Comes Next?

2025 could become the year when Big Tech either reforms or fractures under regulatory weight. Governments are signaling that self-regulation is no longer acceptable, and the public is demanding better. The era of unchecked data harvesting may be nearing its end—but the real question is whether enforcement can keep up with innovation.

Expect tighter audits, real-time compliance checks, and harsher penalties moving forward. For companies like TikTok, Google, and Meta, the clock is ticking.