TikTok faces new lawsuits filed by 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday, accusing the popular social media platform of harming and failing to protect young users. These lawsuits, submitted separately in New York, California, the District of Columbia, and 11 other states, expand TikTok’s legal battles with U.S. regulators and seek new financial penalties against the company.
The states allege that TikTok uses intentionally addictive software designed to keep children engaged for extended periods and misrepresents its content moderation effectiveness. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits. TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids lack the defenses to create 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 added, “Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok.”
In response, TikTok strongly disagreed with the claims, stating that many are “inaccurate and misleading.” The company expressed disappointment that the states chose to sue rather than collaborate on constructive solutions to industry-wide challenges. TikTok pointed out that it provides safety features, including default screen time limits and privacy settings for users under 16.
Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb claimed that TikTok operates an unlicensed money transmission business through its live streaming and virtual currency features. He described TikTok as “dangerous by design,” stating, “It’s an intentionally addictive product that is designed to get young people addicted to their screens.”
The lawsuit from Washington accused TikTok of facilitating the sexual exploitation of underage users, likening its live streaming and virtual currency features to a “virtual strip club with no age restrictions.” The other states involved in the lawsuits include Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington state.
In March 2022, eight states, including California and Massachusetts, launched a nationwide investigation into TikTok’s impacts on young people. Additionally, the U.S. Justice Department sued TikTok in August for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy on the app. Other states, including Utah and Texas, have previously sued TikTok for failing to protect children from harm, which TikTok rejected in a court filing.
TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, continues to battle a U.S. law that could potentially ban the app in the United States.
