Several states, including California and New York, have filed a lawsuit against TikTok. They accuse the platform of misleading the public about its safety and intentionally designing features to keep teens and children addicted to the video-sharing platform.
RELATED STORIES: Update: Charge Against TikToker “Mr. Prada” Upgraded to First Degree Murder
The lawsuits, filed in 13 states and the District of Columbia, claim that TikTok’s practices violate consumer protection laws and contribute to a growing teen mental health crisis, as reported by NPR. This bipartisan group of state attorneys general is seeking to force TikTok to modify its product features, which they argue are manipulative and harmful to teens. Additionally, the lawsuits seek financial penalties for the company.
TikTok is currently threatened with a U.S. ban scheduled for January 19th unless it cuts ties with its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance. In addition to this federal challenge, the platform is also facing state-level challenges and lawsuits as part of an ongoing debate about social media’s impact on mental health.
RELATED STORIES: Surveillance Video Lead to Murder Charge Against TikTok Star Mr. Prada in Therapist’s Killing
“TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not have the defenses to create healthy boundaries around addictive content,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The state attorneys general stated that certain features of TikTok such as its personalized algorithm, infinite scrolling, and push notifications, can foster excessive use and behavioral changes.
Additionally, they criticized the app’s use of beauty filters, stating that it contributes to body image issues and eating disorders, especially among young girls. However, TikTok spokesman Alex Haurek said the lawsuits were misleading as the company has reportedly introduced safety measures such as screen-time limits and privacy controls for minors.
Trial dates will be scheduled and proceed seperately.
