The popular social media platform TikTok is facing legal trouble as more than a dozen states in the US have filed lawsuits against the company, alleging that it is contributing to a mental health crisis among teenagers. A bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general claim that TikTok uses addictive features to keep children hooked on the app and has misled the public about the safety of prolonged use.
The lawsuit, filed in New York, accuses TikTok of knowing the harmful effects of its platform on the mental health of American children and teenagers but misrepresenting it as safe and appropriate. New York Attorney General Letitia James highlighted instances where young people have died or been injured while attempting dangerous challenges seen on TikTok.
TikTok has called the lawsuit “disappointing” and denied many of the claims as inaccurate and misleading. The platform is already facing challenges in the US, including a law passed by Congress that could ban it unless its Chinese parent company, Bytedance, agrees to a sale.
The lawsuit against TikTok focuses on specific features such as alerts that disrupt sleep, disappearing videos that drive users to check the app frequently, and beauty filters that alter users’ appearances. Despite promoting tools to limit screen time, TikTok is accused of misrepresenting their effectiveness.
This legal action adds to the growing scrutiny of social media platforms and their impact on young people’s mental health. Regulators have previously targeted Facebook and Instagram for similar reasons. With more than half of US teenagers using TikTok multiple times a day, the platform’s legal troubles are likely to continue.
