SMO -v- TikTok Inc (anonymity)

Anonymity Order

App No: QB-2020-004576

In the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division

30 December 2020

Before:
The Honourable Mr Justice Warby

Between:
SMO (A child represented by their litigation friend, Anne Longfield)
-v-
TikTok Inc.
TikTok Information Technologies Limited
TikTok Technology Limited
Bytedance Ltd
Beijing Bytedance Technology Co., Ltd
Mucical.ly

UPON the application of the Intended Claimant (“Claimant”) dated 20 December 2020 seeking permission to issue a claim form anonymising the Claimant

AND UPON reading the first, second and confidential third witness statements of Tom Philip Southwell dated 20 and 28 December 2020, and the witness statement of Anne Elizabeth Longfield dated 28 December 2020

AND UPON hearing Leading Counsel for the Intended Claimant

PURSUANT to rules 3.1, 5.4C, 16 and 39.2(4) of the Civil Procedure Rules.

IT IS ORDERED THAT:

1. The Intended Claimant be permitted to issue a Claim Form in the intended proceedings naming the Claimant as “SMO” and giving the address of the Intended Claimant’s solicitors.

2. The Intended Claimant be described in all statements of case and other documents to be filed or served in the proceedings and in any judgment or order in the proceedings and in any report of the proceedings by the press or otherwise as “SMO” for the claimant.

3. The address of the Intended Claimant be stated in all statements of case and other documents to be filed or served in the proceedings as the address of the Intended Claimant’s solicitors.

4. A non-party may not inspect or obtain a copy of any document on or from the Court file and to which a non-party may have access pursuant to CPR 5.4A-D (or otherwise), unless it has been produced or edited so as to comply with paragraph 2 of this Order or any subsequent direction made by the Court.

5. No copies of Mr Southwell’s confidential third witness statement shall be provided to a non-party without further order of the Court.

6. Any party or non-party affected by this Order may apply on notice to all parties to have this Order set aside or varied.