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TikTok Hit with Lawsuits from 13 US States and DC

By  |  October 8, 2024

On Tuesday, TikTok faced a wave of new legal challenges as 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits accusing the popular social media platform of causing harm to young users and failing to safeguard their well-being. The lawsuits, filed separately in New York, California, the District of Columbia, and 11 other states, escalate the ongoing legal battle between TikTok and U.S. regulators. The plaintiffs are seeking financial penalties and further regulations on the platform, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.

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    According to Reuters, the lawsuits claim that TikTok employs intentionally addictive algorithms designed to maximize the amount of time children and teenagers spend on the app. The states argue that this tactic leaves young users vulnerable to negative mental health impacts. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that TikTok “intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content.” He went on to accuse the company of exploiting social media addiction to boost profits.

    The lawsuits also raise concerns about TikTok’s content moderation practices. According to Reuters, the states allege that the platform misrepresents the effectiveness of its measures to control harmful content. New York Attorney General Letitia James echoed these concerns, highlighting the broader issue of social media’s impact on mental health. “Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” she said in a statement.

    Related: EU Commission Requests Information from YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok on Algorithm Usage

    TikTok, in its defense, has consistently denied the accusations, insisting that it offers “robust safeguards for teens and parents.” A statement from the company last week indicated that it “strongly disagrees with allegations it fails to protect children.”

    In a separate claim, Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb accused TikTok of operating an unlicensed money transmission business through its live-streaming and virtual currency features. Schwalb labeled the platform as “dangerous by design,” adding that it is deliberately engineered to create screen addiction among young users. His lawsuit also alleged that TikTok facilitates the sexual exploitation of minors, describing its live-streaming services as operating “like a virtual strip club with no age restrictions.”

    The legal action was not limited to just these states. Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington state also filed suits on the same day. As these lawsuits unfold, the legal pressure on TikTok to address the concerns of U.S. regulators and state officials continues to mount.

    Source: Reuters