More than a dozen U.S. states are suing TikTok, claiming the app is hurting teenagers’ mental health. A group of 14 state attorneys general says TikTok uses addictive features to keep kids engaged and has misled the public about the dangers of using it for a long time.
TikTok called the lawsuit “disappointing” and said many claims are “inaccurate.” The app might be banned in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company, Bytedance, sells it.
The lawsuit, filed in New York, says TikTok knows its addictive nature harms millions of young people but still claims the app is “safe” for them. New York Attorney General Letitia James mentioned that some young people have gotten hurt or even died from TikTok challenges, like a 15-year-old boy who died while “subway surfing.”
James criticized TikTok’s safety claims, saying they are not true. The lawsuit points out features that cause problems, like alerts that disrupt sleep, disappearing videos that make users check the app often, and beauty filters that change how people look.
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TikTok has created tools to help users limit their time on the app, but the lawsuit claims these tools are not as effective as advertised.
Thirteen states and Washington, D.C., are involved in the lawsuits, which also accuse TikTok of running an unlicensed money service with its “virtual currency.” TikTok insists it is committed to keeping teens safe and improving its platform.
The lawsuit aims to stop TikTok from these practices and seeks financial penalties. Similar lawsuits have been filed against Facebook and Instagram for their impact on young people’s mental health.
This legal action adds to TikTok’s problems, as over half of U.S. teenagers use the app several times a day. States like Texas and Utah have already filed similar lawsuits about child safety. The Federal Trade Commission has also accused TikTok of breaking child privacy laws.
Imran Ahmed, head of a nonprofit that counters digital hate, hopes these lawsuits will make parents more aware of the risks of TikTok and encourage companies to change their practices. However, he believes the government needs to create stronger laws to make real changes happen.
