North Carolina Among States Suing TikTok

Source: NurPhoto / Getty

North Carolina is joining over a dozen states and the District of Columbia in suing the popular short-form video app TikTok , as reported by the Associated Press (via WRAL ).

The lawsuits filed Tuesday (Oct. 8) come from a national investigation launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan group of attorneys general from multiple states. The suits claim that the app is harming youth mental health by designing its platform to be addictive to kids.

“TikTok knowingly created a product that harmed children, and then it deceived everyone about how dangerous and addictive the product was,” says North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “They did this to make more money. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling – you have to be honest about the risks, and you have to follow the law.”

TikTok’s algorithm is the specific cause for concern, as it controls what users see by populating the main “For You” feed with tailored content. The lawsuits also point out design features they claim make children addicted to the app. The design includes endless scrolling, push notifications with built-in “buzzes,” and face filters that “create unattainable appearances for users.”

TikTok does not allow children younger than 13 years old to use the main service and restricts some content for everyone under the age of 18. However, several states claim in their filing that kids can easily bypass those restrictions.

In addition, TikTok’s business operations are also under scrutiny.

More from WRAL:

The [District of Columbia] alleges TikTok is operating as an “unlicensed virtual economy” by allowing people to purchase TikTok Coins – a virtual currency within the platform – and send “Gifts” to streamers on TikTok LIVE who can cash it out for real money. TikTok takes a 50% commission on these financial transactions but hasn’t registered as a money transmitter with the U.S. Treasury Department or authorities in the district, according to the complaint.

Officials say teens are frequently exploited for sexually explicit content through TikTok’s LIVE streaming feature, which has allowed the app to operate essentially as a “virtual strip club” without any age restrictions. They say the cut the company gets from the financial transactions allows it to profit from exploitation.

This is the latest issue facing the popular app. Under a federal law that took effect earlier this year, TikTok is facing a ban from the U.S. by mid-January if its China-based parent company, ByteDance, does not sell the platform by then. TikTok and ByteDance are currently awaiting a decision on their appeal.

RELATED:

• Godwin Family Shows Faith In The Midst Of Tragedy
• Gabrielle Union Claps Back At Haters Trying To Police Her Career Choices
• Street Fight Wants To Team Up With LeBron James
• Gabby Douglas Launches Lipstick Line With Beauty Bakerie!
• Arkansas Teacher Resigns After Posting Racist Messages About Obamas On Social Media

The post North Carolina Among States Suing TikTok appeared first on Foxy 107.1-104.3 .