In a bold legal move, a California resident has filed a class action lawsuit against a prominent vacation rental company, accusing it of secretly surveilling website visitors and sharing their personal data with TikTok. The complaint was lodged by Tanya Canthu in the Superior Court of California for the County of Ventura on January 7, 2025, targeting Big Bear Resorts, Inc., known for its popular website bigbearvacations.com.
The lawsuit claims that Big Bear Resorts violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) by enabling TikTok to track and collect detailed information about users without their consent. According to the filing, the company allegedly used software from ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, which is under scrutiny by U.S. authorities for espionage activities. This software reportedly allowed TikTok to gather extensive data on website visitors' interests and behaviors.
Tanya Canthu, who is both a consumer privacy advocate and someone interested in the services offered by Big Bear Resorts, asserts that she visited the company's website within the past year. She alleges that her visit led to unauthorized tracking through a process called "fingerprinting," where her device's electronic impulses were captured to identify and monitor her online activities. The complaint states that this practice breaches California's Trap and Trace Law as outlined in Penal Code § 638.51.
The plaintiff argues that Big Bear Resorts not only failed to inform users about this invasive tracking but also shared their de-anonymized data with TikTok, effectively exposing them to potential surveillance by foreign entities. The lawsuit highlights concerns over privacy violations and calls attention to how such practices could undermine consumer trust and security.
In seeking justice, Canthu aims for more than just compensation; she seeks statutory damages under CIPA, an injunction against further unlawful data sharing practices by Big Bear Resorts, and coverage of legal fees. The case underscores the ongoing tension between consumer privacy rights and corporate data practices in an increasingly digital world.
Representing Canthu are attorneys Scott J. Ferrell, David W. Reid, and Victoria C. Knowles from Pacific Trial Attorneys. The case is presided over in Ventura County with Case ID 2025 CLUIMTOS6970O.