States Take Action Against TikTok for Child Safety

In a collective action, several states, spearheaded by state attorneys general, have launched a legal claim against TikTok, alleging the platform poses significant risks to children by implementing addictive features within its algorithm. These features are said to promote harmful consumption habits, including endless scrolling and the use of beauty filters, which negatively impact young users' self-esteem and contribute to a public health crisis among the youth. Encouraged by the rising concerns, these officials are urging that the platform’s potentially dangerous practices should be addressed. TikTok has previously faced scrutiny and even a federal lawsuit concerning its child privacy practices, including a failure to protect minors under age 13 from data exploitation without proper parental consent. While TikTok asserts that safeguards are in place, such as privacy settings for accounts held by teens and screen time limits, these state officials dispute the effectiveness of such measures. They argue that this ongoing issue not only encompasses the violation of privacy rights but also highlights a broader systemic failure to protect the mental wellbeing of children online. The actions from these states reflect a deeper commitment to safeguarding children from digital harm and enforcing stricter accountability for social media platforms. This lawsuit follows a growing trend of legal scrutiny on tech companies about their influence on youth and data practices, emphasizing the pressing need for regulatory oversight in the context of child safety online.