More than a dozen states in the US have filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming it contributes to the mental health crisis among teens. A group of 14 prosecutors said the company running the platform deliberately used features that could get children addicted, and also deliberately misled the public about the safety of long-term use.
TikTok called the lawsuit “disappointing” and said many of the claims are inaccurate and misleading. BBC. “TikTok recognizes that compulsive use and other harmful effects of its platform are devastating the mental health of millions of American children and teens,” the lawsuit filed Tuesday said.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James addressed the challenges of TikTok, which has left young people dead, injured and many others “feeling sad, anxious, and depressed due to TikTok’s addictive qualities.”
For example, a 15-year-old boy in Manhattan lost his life because he sat on top of a moving subway after a party. Her mother later found TikTok videos of such subway surfing on her phone. “TikTok claims its platform is safe for young people, but that could not be further from the truth,” Letitia James said in a statement announcing the action.
The lawsuit also highlights several problematic features that harm young people's mental health, including alarms that disrupt sleep or videos that disappear and require users to repeatedly check the interface, as well as beauty filters that allow users to enhance their appearance.
The lawsuit was filed separately by 13 states, and was also filed in Washington, where the attorney general also accused the company of dealing in money transfers by offering “virtual currency” without a license.
TikTok is not doing well in America: In April, the US Senate approved a proposal aimed at banning TikTok, and Joe Biden also signed it. The company will likely have to do so unless its Chinese parent company, Bytedance, agrees to the sale.
In response to the states' lawsuits, TikTok said it was proud of “and remains committed to the work we do to protect teens, and we will continue to update and improve our product.”
The states are asking the lower court to enjoin TikTok from the above conduct and to fine the company. In the past, other states, including Texas and Utah, have tried to protect children through similar lawsuits.
