US states accuse TikTok of harming young users

By AFP

A group of 14 US states on Tuesday filed lawsuits accusing TikTok of ensnaring young users with addictive features, then harming their minds and violating their privacy.

The wave of local court lawsuits demanding corrective measures and financial penalties comes as the popular video-snippet sharing app faces a ban in the United States if it remains owned by China-based ByteDance.

"Our investigation has revealed that TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits," California attorney general Rob Bonta said in a news release issued jointly with officials from other states.

"TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content."

Bonta contended that features such as beauty filters, endless scrolling, autoplay videos, and "likes" exploit youthful curiosity and lack of will power to stop.

TikTok then hits young users with money-making ads, the lawsuits argue.

TikTok called the claims inaccurate and misleading.

"We've endeavored to work with the Attorneys General for over two years, and it is incredibly disappointing they have taken this step rather than work with us on constructive solutions to industry-wide challenges," TikTok spokesman Michael Hughes said in response to an AFP inquiry.

Hughes cited what he said were TikTok safeguards that include booting users suspected of being younger than 13, default screen time limits and privacy settings for minors using the app.

"Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok," said New York attorney general Letitia James.

"TikTok claims that their platform is safe for young people, but that is far from true," she added.

TikTok is battling the US ban threat in a federal appeals court, arguing that it violates free speech rights.

A law poised to take effect early next year requires the app to divest from its Chinese ownership or be banned in the United States.

The US government alleges that TikTok allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It also says TikTok is a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company strongly deny these claims.

TikTok has until January to find a buyer or face the ban, which would upend the social media business and rile many of the app's 170 million US users.