By Gauri Patel
Staff Writer
Attorneys general from 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of deliberately designing features that have “addicted” young people and contributing to a youth mental health crisis.
The lawsuits stem from a national investigation launched in 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general. They were each filed separately by members of the coalition in their respective state courts, co-led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The lawsuits highlight several concerns with TikTok’s features, such as its endless scrolling feed of content, "challenge" videos that may encourage dangerous behavior among young users and late-night push notifications that may disrupt sleep.
In the filings, the attorneys general also highlight TikTok's use of AI-driven beauty filters, which can alter users’ physical appearance. James emphasized that these filters have been especially damaging to young girls, contributing to body image issues and eating disorders, according to NPR. New York investigators claim that TikTok did not adequately inform users about the potential risks of beauty filters and promoted them to younger users.
According to Reuters, the attorneys general claim that these elements intentionally aim to maximize user engagement at the expense of young people's well-being. The coalition also argues that TikTok’s practices are designed to keep users hooked for hours, boosting revenue from selling targeted advertisements.
"TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits," Bonta said in a statement. "TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content."
The lawsuits against TikTok echo previous legal actions taken against other social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook’s parent company, Meta, according to The Associated Press. Last year, states sued Meta over Instagram's alleged role in worsening youth mental health through addictive features.
TikTok faces an additional hurdle. Under a federal law passed earlier this year, the app could be banned from the U.S. by mid-January of 2025 unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, divests from the platform. TikTok and ByteDance are currently challenging this law in court.
In response to the lawsuits, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek expressed disappointment, noting that the lawsuits follow more than two years of negotiations with the attorneys general.
"We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading," Haurek said, according to The Associated Press. “We’re proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product.”
TikTok has said that it has voluntarily launched other safety features, including the proactive removal of underage users, default screen time limits for young users and optional parental oversight tools, according to NPR.
Despite TikTok’s claims that the platform is safe for children, states have expressed that the company’s current safety features have been able to be easily circumvented by children, according to NPR. They argue that the features like content restriction for users under 18 and privacy defaults for minors under 16, are ineffective, as children can bypass them by providing false information about their age.
According to The Associated Press, the District of Columbia alleges TikTok's live-streaming feature is being exploited by underage users who host live-streamed videos and receive "gifts" from viewers through a digital currency system, likening the feature to a "virtual strip club" without proper age restrictions. The attorneys claim TikTok is running an "unlicensed virtual economy," allowing users to purchase coins, exchange them for gifts and cash them out, with TikTok taking a 50% commission. However, TikTok has not registered as a money transmitter with the U.S. Treasury or local authorities.
The coalition of attorneys general is seeking to impose significant injunctive and financial penalties against TikTok to address the misconduct, including requiring the company to change product features and seeking compensation for users that have been harmed.
The outcome of these lawsuits could not only influence TikTok’s future but also set a precedent for holding social media companies accountable for their impact on youth mental health.
