TikTok Faces Lawsuits Over Impact on Children’s Mental Health

TikTok is facing a series of lawsuits from 13 U.S. states and Washington D.C., accusing the platform of contributing to a mental health crisis among young users. 

The lawsuits stem from an investigation launched in March 2022 by a coalition of attorneys general, aimed at understanding the impact of social media on children. This legal action adds to TikTok’s ongoing battles, including a potential U.S. ban unless ByteDance agrees to sell the app.

What do the lawsuits say?

The lawsuits, filed by a group of attorneys general, allege that TikTok's addictive features are designed to keep children glued to their screens, and that the platform has not done enough to protect its younger audience. The lawsuits filed by the 13 states seek financial penalties against TikTok and aim to force the platform to change its business practices, particularly around the protection of young users.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta claimed TikTok "intentionally targets children," knowing that they lack the capacity to set healthy boundaries around their social media use. He added that the company prioritises corporate profits over the well-being of its users. The lawsuits also accuse TikTok of misrepresenting the effectiveness of its content moderation and safety measures.

New York Attorney General Letitia James echoed these concerns, stating that "young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok." 

She cited incidents where young people have been injured or killed while attempting dangerous stunts seen on the app, such as a 15-year-old boy who died while subway surfing after viewing similar videos on TikTok.

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb accused TikTok of operating a platform that is "dangerous by design." His lawsuit also alleged that TikTok's live streaming and virtual currency features were being used for the exploitation of minors, likening it to a "virtual strip club" without age restrictions.

Tiktok deny allegations

TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has denied the allegations, calling them "inaccurate and misleading." A spokesperson for the company expressed disappointment that the states had opted to sue instead of working with TikTok on solutions to industry-wide challenges. 

The platform pointed to its existing safety features, including screen time limits and privacy settings for minors, as evidence of its efforts to protect younger users.

Lawsuits follow growing concern over impact of social media on mental health

The legal actions come amid growing scrutiny of social media's impact on young people's mental health. 

While TikTok has continued to expand safety features and tools for users, critics argue that the platform's efforts are insufficient. Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said the lawsuits signal increasing frustration with the lack of regulation for social media platforms. He stressed that while these lawsuits are a step in the right direction, more stringent laws are needed to hold companies accountable.

TikTok is not alone in facing such challenges, with other platforms like Instagram and Facebook also being sued over their role in exacerbating issues like anxiety, depression, and body image concerns among teenagers.

TikTok's legal troubles are far from over, as U.S. regulators and lawmakers continue to grapple with the platform's influence on the mental health of millions of teenagers.