TikTok is facing new lawsuits in the US over alleged harm to children

Popular social media platform TikTok has been accused of harming and failing to protect young people in new lawsuits filed by several states in the United States of America.

The lawsuits were filed Tuesday in New York, California and eleven other states, as well as the District of Columbia, adding to several legal challenges the Chinese company is already facing in the United States.

The latest documents accuse the company of deliberately using addictive software to keep children watching for as long as possible, and misrepresenting the effectiveness of its content moderation.

They also claimed that TikTok’s platform is addictive and exploits children’s vulnerability to increase profits.

READ ALSO: TikTok faces lawsuits in the US for allegedly invading children’s privacy

According to the states, TikTok’s software is deliberately designed to keep users, especially children, engaged for extended periods of time, raising concerns about mental health and the effectiveness of its content moderation efforts.

TikTok has denied the allegations “which we believe are inaccurate and misleading,” the report said.

The social media giant said it was disappointed with the states’ decision to file charges “instead of working with us on constructive solutions to industry-wide challenges.”

TikTok pointed out that it has implemented safety measures, including default screen time limits and enhanced privacy settings for users under 16, to address concerns about young people’s exposure to harmful content.

The platform’s parent company, ByteDance, is also fighting proposed legislation that could ban the app in the US

The company has previously said it strongly disagrees with allegations that it has failed to protect children, and has said it has “robust safeguards for teens and parents”.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that TikTok “intentionally targets children” for its inability to set healthy boundaries around addictive content.

He added that the platform’s algorithm encourages sustained use to increase ad revenue.

New York Attorney General Letitia James echoed similar concerns, highlighting the platform’s negative impact on the mental health of young users.

“Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” says James.
US lawmakers have argued that the app could give the Chinese government access to user data and influence Americans through its wildly popular algorithm. The White House has supported the bill.

However, lawmakers and the White House disagree with many of TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users, who represent roughly half the country, and with civil liberties and digital rights groups who say a ban would infringe on free speech .

In addition to the addiction allegations, Washington DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb alleged that TikTok operates an unlicensed money transmission business through livestreaming and virtual currency features.

He described TikTok as a platform “dangerous by design,” aimed at getting young users addicted to their screens.

One of the most disturbing claims came from the Washington state lawsuit, which accused TikTok of facilitating the sexual exploitation of underage users, equating the platform’s livestreaming and virtual currency features to operating “like a virtual strip club without age restrictions’.

The latest lawsuits follow a broader investigation launched in March 2022 by eight states, including California and Massachusetts, examining TikTok’s impact on young people.

In August, the US Department of Justice also sued TikTok for failing to protect children’s privacy on the app. Other states such as Utah and Texas have previously filed similar lawsuits, accusing the platform of endangering children.