- 13 states sue TikTok over mental health claims
- TikTok denies allegations, cites safety features
- US ban threat still looms for the app
TikTok termed the charges false and stated that the company was “proud of and remains deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens”.
Thirteen US states and Washington, DC, are suing TikTok, alleging that the company is damaging children’s mental health and failing to protect them.
The complaints claim that the video-sharing software is designed to be addictive and keep teens riveted to the screen.
TikTok called the charges “inaccurate and misleading” and cited features including default screen time and privacy settings for children under the age of 16.
The legal action is another setback for the app, which is controlled by Chinese firm Bytedance and is already facing a potential US ban over concerns that it will provide data to the Beijing government, which it denies.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that addicting social media platforms such as TikTok are causing young people to struggle with their mental health.
She also said that young people had died and been hurt while attempting to replicate stunts they had seen.
Brian Schwalb, her counterpart in Washington, DC, described it as “an intentionally addictive product”.
TikTok is accused in his case of creating “profound psychological and physiological harms” such as despair, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
Another argument in the collective legal action is that a “virtual strip club with no age restrictions” can effectively operate using TikTok’s live streaming and virtual currency functionalities.
TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek expressed disappointment that the states had opted not to collaborate with the service on their issues.
We strongly disagree with these allegations, many of which we believe are false and misleading,” he stated.
We are proud of and passionately devoted to the work we have done to protect teenagers, and we will continue to update and improve our product.
We’ve tried to work with the attorneys general for over two years, and it’s quite disheartening that they’ve taken this action rather than collaborating with us on constructive solutions to industry-wide concerns.
TikTok offers safety features such as default screen time limits and privacy settings for users under the age of 16, according to the business.
TikTok likewise prohibits under-13s from using its primary service and bans some content for under-18s.
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The cases filed on Tuesday are the result of an investigation begun by a bipartisan team of prosecutors in March 2022.
The following states are suing under the new action: California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington state, and Washington, DC.
Other US states have previously filed similar child protection cases against TikTok.
In August, the US Justice Department sued the app on a federal level for allegedly failing to protect children’s privacy.
However, the greatest issue is a new US rule that threatens to ban TikTok in the coming year unless Bytedance sells it.
The corporation has filed an appeal against the order, and justices are likely to give a decision which might eventually reach the Supreme Court.
