Several states have taken legal action against TikTok, accusing the platform of being addictive and detrimental to the mental health of children. The lawsuits, filed by more than a dozen states and the District of Columbia, claim that TikTok has designed its platform to be addictive to young users, leading to harmful effects on their mental wellbeing.
The legal action follows a national investigation launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from states such as California, Kentucky, and New Jersey. The complaints, filed in state courts, focus on TikTok’s algorithm, which fuels the content displayed on the app’s main feed tailored to users’ interests. Additionally, the lawsuits highlight design features that allegedly contribute to children becoming addicted to the platform, such as endless scrolling, push notifications with built-in “buzzes,” and face filters promoting unrealistic appearances.
The District of Columbia described TikTok’s algorithm as “dopamine-inducing” and intentionally designed to be addictive, leading to excessive usage and potential long-term psychological and physiological harm, including anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia. According to District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, TikTok profits from keeping users, especially young people, engaged on the platform to generate substantial ad revenue, despite the negative impact on users’ mental health.
While TikTok prohibits children under 13 from using its main service and restricts some content for users under 18, states like Washington argue that these restrictions can be easily bypassed, allowing children to access potentially harmful content. The lawsuits also address TikTok’s virtual economy, where users can purchase virtual currency and send gifts to streamers on TikTok LIVE, with TikTok taking a commission on these transactions without proper registration with regulatory authorities.
Furthermore, officials raise concerns about the exploitation of teenagers for explicit content through TikTok’s live streaming feature, likening the app to a “virtual strip club” without age restrictions. Several states have previously sued TikTok and other tech companies over various issues, reflecting a broader trend of legal challenges against social media platforms and their impact on young users.
TikTok is also facing national challenges, including a potential ban under a federal law if its parent company, ByteDance, fails to sell the platform by mid-January. The company is contesting this law in court. The ongoing legal battles highlight the increasing scrutiny faced by social media platforms regarding issues such as user safety, mental health impacts, and data privacy.
Overall, the lawsuits against TikTok underscore the growing concerns around the negative effects of social media platforms on young people and the need for robust regulations to address these challenges.