TikTok sued by 13 U.S. states, D.C., accused of harming younger users

TikTok faces caller lawsuits filed by 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia connected Tuesday, accusing the fashionable societal media level of harming and failing to support young people.

The lawsuits filed separately successful New York, California, the District of Columbia and 11 different states, grow Chinese-owned TikTok’s ineligible combat with U.S. regulators, and question caller fiscal penalties against the company.

The states impeach TikTok of utilizing intentionally addictive bundle designed to support children watching arsenic agelong and often arsenic imaginable and misrepresenting its contented moderation effectiveness.

“TikTok cultivates societal media addiction to boost firm profits,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said successful a statement. “TikTok intentionally targets children due to the fact that they cognize kids bash not yet person the defenses oregon capableness to make steadfast boundaries astir addictive content.”

TikTok seeks to maximize the magnitude of clip users walk connected the app successful bid to people them with ads, the states say.

“Young radical are struggling with their intelligence wellness due to the fact that of addictive societal media platforms similar TikTok,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James.

TikTok said past week it powerfully disagrees with allegations it fails to support children, saying “in fact, we connection robust safeguards for teens and parents.”

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb alleged TikTok operates an unlicensed wealth transmission concern done its unrecorded streaming and virtual currency features.

Trending Now

“TikTok’s level is unsafe by design. It’s an intentionally addictive merchandise that is designed to get young radical addicted to their screens,” Schwalb said successful an interview.

Washington’s suit accused TikTok of facilitating intersexual exploitation of underage users, saying TikTok’s unrecorded streaming and virtual currency “operate similar a virtual portion nine with nary property restrictions.”

Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington authorities besides sued connected Tuesday.

In March 2022, 8 states including California and Massachusetts, said they launched a nationwide probe of TikTok impacts connected young people.

The U.S. Justice Department sued TikTok successful August for allegedly failing to support children’s privateness connected the app. Other states antecedently sued TikTok for failing to support children from harm, including Utah and Texas. TikTok connected Monday rejected the allegations successful a tribunal filing.

TikTok’s Chinese genitor institution ByteDance is battling a U.S. instrumentality that could prohibition the app successful the United States.

—Reporting by Jody Godoy successful New York and David Shepardson successful Washington; Editing by Jamie Freed