13 States Sue TikTok Over Youth Protection Claims

TikTok is facing new lawsuits from 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, filed on Tuesday, which accuse the popular social media platform of harming young users and failing to ensure their protection.

The lawsuits, submitted separately in New York, California, the District of Columbia, and 11 other states, broaden TikTok’s legal challenges with U.S. regulators and seek additional financial penalties.

The states allege that TikTok employs intentionally addictive software aimed at keeping children engaged for extended periods while misrepresenting the effectiveness of its content moderation.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits. They intentionally target children because they know kids lack the defences or capacity to establish healthy boundaries around addictive content.” According to the states, TikTok aims to maximize user engagement to enhance ad targeting.

New York Attorney General Letitia James emphasized that “young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok.”

In response, TikTok expressed strong disagreement with the claims, labelling many as “inaccurate and misleading,” and expressed disappointment that the states opted to sue instead of collaborating on constructive solutions to industry challenges.

Also Read: Texas Sues TikTok for Alleged Violation of Children’s Privacy Laws

The company highlighted that it provides safety features, such as default screen time limits and privacy settings for users under 16.

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb accused TikTok of operating an unlicensed money transmission business through its live streaming and virtual currency features, asserting, “TikTok’s platform is dangerous by design. It’s an intentionally addictive product that is designed to get young people addicted to their screens.”

The lawsuit from Washington further claimed that TikTok facilitates the sexual exploitation of underage users, comparing its live streaming and virtual currency features to a “virtual strip club with no age restrictions.” The states of Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington also joined the lawsuit on Tuesday.

In March 2022, eight states, including California and Massachusetts, initiated a nationwide investigation into TikTok’s impact on young people. In August, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against TikTok for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy on the app.

Other states, such as Utah and Texas, have previously sued TikTok for not safeguarding children from harm. TikTok has consistently denied these allegations in court filings.

TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is currently contending with a U.S. law that may lead to a ban on the app in the United States.