TikTok Is Being Sued by Multiple US States

by

TikTok Is Being Sued by Multiple US States

Key Takeaways

  • 13 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against TikTok in early October 2024.
  • The plaintiffs allege that the app is misrepresenting itself as safe for children while being anything but.
  • The District of Columbia Attorney General labeled TikTok as “digital nicotine,” saying that the app is harmful to the mental health of America’s youth.

As a seasoned gamer who has navigated through countless digital platforms, I can’t help but feel a sense of concern when hearing about the ongoing legal troubles faced by TikTok. Being a parent myself, I understand the importance of protecting our children from potential harm, especially in the digital realm. The allegations that TikTok is not only addictive but also deceivingly marketed as child-friendly are disconcerting.

TikTok, the well-known social media platform, is facing lawsuits from more than a dozen states, claiming that it poses a threat to children. This legal action comes as an addition to the mounting legal issues TikTok has been dealing with on U.S. soil.

Beyond the potential nationwide ban set to take place as soon as January 2025, TikTok, owned by ByteDance, has been encountering several legal hurdles in the U.S., its second-largest overseas market. Lately, a group of more than 5,000 American parents have filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming that the social media platform is excessively addictive and causing significant harm to young Americans.

One-Quarter of U.S. States Are Collectively Suing TikTok

As a concerned gamer, I’ve found myself joining forces with 13 states and the District of Columbia in October 2024, filing a lawsuit against a popular app. The reason? This app, while marketed as safe for kids, is designed to be addictive. This, according to our complaint, poses a significant threat to our mental health, especially for young users who may not fully grasp its impact yet. In the words of District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, this app can be likened to “digital nicotine.” The lawsuit aims to hold this social media giant accountable for potentially harming our children.

TikTok Labels Addiction Lawsuit as ‘Inaccurate and Misleading’

TikTok has dismissed these accusations as being both inaccurate and misleading. In a statement made on October 8, a representative from the company stated that TikTok itself has proactively implemented numerous safety measures, such as setting screen time limits by default for users under 16 years old. Furthermore, they asserted that they have been in discussions with Attorneys General regarding these matters for more than two years. The group also suggested that the issues highlighted in the recent lawsuits are common across the entire industry, rather than being unique to TikTok.

Lawsuits like this one, with multiple plaintiffs and intricate claims, typically take a significant length of time to be settled. Since TikTok seems determined to fiercely defend itself, it’s reasonable to estimate that this court case could drag on for anywhere from two to five years. It’s worth noting that most lawsuits don’t end up going to trial, but the extensive attention and scrutiny TikTok has received in the U.S. recently makes a settlement unlikely in this specific situation.

Two months ago, a lawsuit was initiated against this entity, following similar legal action taken by the Department of Justice against TikTok. The allegation being that TikTok is illegally gathering data on millions of children’s personal information. It is estimated that the app boasts around 170 million U.S. users, with a significant number believed to be adolescents aged between 13 and 17, amounting to more than half of this age group.

Read More

2024-10-09 13:33