TikTok Sued in US for Harming Kids' Mental Health
More than a dozen US states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits against TikTok on October 8, saying that the popular video app is designed to be addictive to kids and harms their mental health.
At the heart of each lawsuit is the TikTok algorithm, which powers what users see on the platform by populating the app's main feed with content suited to people's interests.
The lawsuits note TikTok design features that they make children addicted to the platform, such as the ability to scroll endlessly through content, messages that pop up on users' devices even when the app is not in use, and face filters that create unrealistic appearances for users.
In its lawsuit, the District of Columbia said the TikTok algorithm was created to be addictive so the company could trap many young users into excessive use and keep them on its app for hours on end. TikTok does this knowing that these behaviors will lead to psychological harm, such as anxiety, depression, obsession with one's appearance and other long-lasting problems, the district said.
"They've chosen profit over the health and safety, well-being and future of our children," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at a news conference in San Francisco. "And that is not something we can accept. So we've sued."
The 14 attorneys general say the goal of their lawsuits is to stop TikTok from using these features, impose financial penalties for their alleged illegal practices and collect damages for users that have been harmed.
TikTok does not allow children under 13 to sign up for its main service and restricts some content for everyone under 18. But several states said in their filings that children can easily bypass those restrictions and access the service adults use.
Almost all teens ages 13 to 17 in the US report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media "almost constantly," according to the Pew Research Center.
High school students who frequently use social media have persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, according to a new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted last year in which about 20,000 teenagers participated.
