In the US a coalition of 14 state attorneys general has filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of causing harm to young users by fostering addiction and negatively impacting their mental health.
The lawsuits, filed separately by each state, focus on various aspects of TikTok's design, including its addictive content feed, viral challenges and notifications that can disrupt children's sleep patterns.
Business model keeps young users hooked
The lawsuits allege that TikTok’s business model prioritises keeping young users on the platform for extended periods to boost revenue from targeted advertising.
They claim that TikTok's features, such as its 'beauty filters' and viral challenges, contribute to body image issues and encourage risky behaviour among young users.
Several of the complaints point to incidents where dangerous trends circulated on the platform, resulting in tragic outcomes, such as the death of a Brooklyn teenager who participated in a 'subway surfing' challenge.
The lawsuits also accuse TikTok of violating the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by failing to prevent children under 13 from joining the app and collecting their personal information without parental consent.
Despite TikTok's policy of only allowing users 13 and older, the lawsuits claim the platform targets younger users through child-friendly content and advertisements.
The legal action follows growing scrutiny of social media’s impact on youth, with regulators increasingly pushing for stricter controls on platforms like TikTok.
Opaque algorithms
In June, New York passed a law requiring social media platforms to display content chronologically for users under 18, to bypass opaque and ‘addictive’ algorithms, which could force significant operational changes for TikTok.
The lawsuits seek financial penalties and aim to compel TikTok to repay profits earned from advertising directed at minors.
The lawsuits come alongside a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighting the widespread use of social media among American teenagers and its link to mental health issues.
The report found that more than 75% of high school students use social media multiple times a day, with frequent users reporting higher rates of sadness, bullying and suicidal thoughts.
The case adds to the mounting legal challenges TikTok faces in the United States, including an ongoing Justice Department lawsuit over alleged data collection violations and potential legislative action by the Congress that could see the platform banned entirely.