New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have initiated legal action against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of misleading users about its safety and contributing to mental health issues among young people. The lawsuit is part of a broader effort by a coalition of 14 attorneys general from various states, each filing separate lawsuits that allege TikTok violated state laws by falsely claiming its platform is safe for minors.
Attorney General James stated, "Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok." She emphasized the detrimental impact on youth mental health due to TikTok's features and challenges. California Attorney General Bonta added, "TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits."
The lawsuits claim that TikTok's business model focuses on maximizing user engagement through an addictive content-recommendation system, targeting children who lack the ability to set healthy boundaries. This approach allegedly leads to poor mental health outcomes among young users.
According to studies cited in the lawsuits, excessive use of social media can result in poor sleep quality and increased risks of depression and anxiety. Features such as autoplay videos, temporary content, and beauty filters are identified as contributing factors.
Additionally, some viral TikTok challenges have reportedly resulted in injuries or fatalities among young users. Examples include dangerous activities like "subway surfing" and car thefts linked to the Kia Challenge.
The lawsuits also accuse TikTok of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting data from users under 13 without parental consent. It is estimated that a significant portion of TikTok’s ad revenue comes from children and teenagers.
Furthermore, the complaints highlight alleged misrepresentations by TikTok regarding its safety tools and policies intended to protect young users. The attorneys general seek financial penalties against TikTok for these practices.
Joining Attorneys General James and Bonta in this legal action are officials from Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
This lawsuit follows previous efforts by Attorney General James to hold social media companies accountable for their impact on youth mental health. These efforts include advocating for warning labels on social media platforms and advancing legislation aimed at protecting children online.
For New York's case against TikTok, Senior Enforcement Counsel Kevin Wallace leads a team under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell and Bureau Chief Kim A. Berger within the Division for Economic Justice.