Recently, over a dozen states along with Washington, D.C., initiated legal action against TikTok, alleging that the popular short-form video application employs addictive functionalities that negatively impact children’s well-being.
According to a report by The Washington Post dated October 8, 2024, Attorneys General from 13 states and D.C. have brought forth lawsuits asserting that TikTok breached “local consumer protection laws.”
The complaints contend that TikTok has intentionally crafted its platform in a manner that promotes compulsive usage, placing younger users at risk of both mental and physical harm.
Key issues highlighted in these lawsuits include features such as auto-scrolling, which enhances user engagement, beauty filters that contribute to detrimental body image perceptions, and push notifications that prompt users to frequently access the application.
Attorneys General from New York and California argue that TikTok’s design is specifically aimed at exploiting the inclination of young users towards excessive app interaction.
A spokesperson for TikTok, Alex Haurek, has vehemently rejected the allegations put forth in the lawsuit.
“We strongly contest these claims, many of which we consider to be false and misleading,”he stated. “Our dedication to safeguarding teens is paramount, and we will persist in updating and refining our platform.”
This lawsuit is only the most recent in a series against the Bytedance-owned platform. In August, a Canadian man lodged a lawsuit against TikTok along with other social media giants like YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook, citing excessive addictive qualities.
The issue of social media addiction has previously drawn collective action from states; in 2023, 41 states sued Meta, the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, claiming its platforms are addictive and detrimental to children’s mental health.
This legal battle unfolds following President Biden’s April 2024 signing of legislation mandating ByteDance to divest its holdings in TikTok, or face a potential ban in the United States.
TikTok is contesting this legislation, which could lead to an extensive legal fight spanning months, if not years.
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