TikTok called the claims misleading
Thirteen U.S. states and Washington D.C. have filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the platform of harming children’s mental health and failing to adequately protect them. The lawsuits claim that TikTok is intentionally designed to be addictive, keeping teenagers glued to their screens. In response, TikTok has labeled the allegations as “inaccurate and misleading,” citing its features like default screen time limits and privacy settings for users under 16 as evidence of its commitment to safety.
The legal action is another setback for the app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, which is already facing a potential U.S. ban over concerns that it could share user data with the Chinese government—an accusation the company strongly denies.
“Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, who also pointed to cases where young users had been harmed or killed after attempting dangerous stunts seen on the platform.
Brian Schwalb, Attorney General of Washington D.C., described TikTok as “an intentionally addictive product” and accused it of causing severe psychological and physical harm, including issues like depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia. The lawsuits further claim that TikTok’s live streaming and virtual currency functions allow a “virtual strip club with no age restrictions” to operate.
In response, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek expressed disappointment that the states chose litigation over collaboration. “We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading,” he said. Haurek emphasized that TikTok has worked to protect teens and will continue to improve its safety features. The company highlighted its default screen time limits, privacy settings for under-16 users, and restrictions on content for those under 18, as well as its policy prohibiting children under 13 from using the main app.
The lawsuits follow a March 2022 investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of prosecutors. The states participating in the latest legal action include California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington state, and Washington D.C. Several other states have also filed similar child protection lawsuits against TikTok in the past.
In a related case, the U.S. Department of Justice sued TikTok in August for allegedly failing to safeguard children’s privacy. However, the company’s biggest challenge remains a potential U.S. law that could ban TikTok unless ByteDance sells the platform. The company has appealed the ruling, and the case could eventually reach the Supreme Court.
