TikTok, the immensely popular social media platform, is once again facing legal challenges in the United States.
On Tuesday, 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits against the Chinese-owned company, accusing it of failing to protect young users and causing harm through its addictive content.
The lawsuits, filed separately in states including New York, California, and the District of Columbia, build on ongoing legal disputes between TikTok and U.S. regulators.
These states are seeking new financial penalties and allege that TikTok’s practices intentionally target children with addictive software.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the platform exploits young users by encouraging them to spend excessive time on the app, driven by algorithms designed to maximise engagement.
“TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits,” Bonta stated in his remarks. “TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content.”
The states argued that TikTok deliberately engineers its platform to maximise user engagement, particularly focusing on younger audiences, in order to increase advertising revenue.
New York Attorney General Letitia James highlighted the mental health consequences of these practices, saying, “Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok.”
In response to these accusations, TikTok has pushed back, asserting that it is committed to the safety of its younger users.
In a statement last week, the company said, “We strongly disagree with allegations that we fail to protect children. In fact, we offer robust safeguards for teens and parents.”
Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb also took aim at TikTok’s business model, claiming that the platform operates an unlicensed money transmission business through features like live streaming and virtual currency.
“TikTok’s platform is dangerous by design. It’s an intentionally addictive product that is designed to get young people addicted to their screens,” Schwalb said in an interview.
The lawsuit from Washington D.C. further accused TikTok of facilitating the sexual exploitation of minors, describing its live streaming features as operating “like a virtual strip club with no age restrictions.”
Other states joining the lawsuits include Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington state.
This new round of legal action follows a previous investigation launched in March 2022 by eight states, including California and Massachusetts, into TikTok’s impact on youth mental health.
In August, the U.S. Department of Justice also sued TikTok, accusing the platform of failing to protect children’s privacy.
States such as Utah and Texas had previously taken legal action against the company for similar concerns.
In a court filing on Monday, TikTok rejected the most recent allegations, maintaining that it prioritises the safety and well-being of its users.
Boluwatife Enome
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