Oregon plans to sue TikTok, attorneys say it's harming Oregon's kids

Oregon and more than a dozen other states are suing the social media giant TikTok for allegedly harming children with its short-form video app.

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said TikTok's business model exploits and harms young people through deceptive and manipulative practices aimed at keeping people addicted to the platform.

“Social media companies, out of basic greed, intentionally design their platforms to addict users and keep them scrolling,” Rosenblum said in a statement . “The more time users spend on the platform, the more money in Tik Tok’s pockets! Tragically, it is our youth who are most harmed by these predatory practices. From depression and self-harm rates, to impacts on sleep, physical health and emotional well-being, we have a responsibility to look at what’s happening to our youth and hold tech companies accountable.”

The lawsuit alleges TikTok violated Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act by using an addictive algorithm to recommend content to users, enticing users to spend more and more time on the platform. Rosenblum said TikTok engages in a scheme that claims to promote safety and well-being while also using manipulative features which exploit children’s psychological vulnerabilities.

“TikTok’s misconduct arises from its underlying business model that focuses on maximizing young users’ time on the TikTok platform to enable the company to boost revenue from selling targeted advertising space,” Rosenblum's office said in a statement.

More young people use TikTok than another other social media services. In 2023, a poll by Pew Research found nearly two-thirds of all Americans between the ages of 13 and 17 used TikTok. Of those, half used it daily.

If found guilty, TikTok could face a $25,000 fee for each violation.

Oregon is one of 14 states filing separate lawsuits against TikTok. Along with Oregon, attorneys general in California, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and Washington, D.C. have announced they plan to file lawsuits against the company. Several other states — Utah, Nevada, Indiana, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas — have already filed legal actions against the platform.

Oregon’s lawsuit is expected to be filed Wednesday, Oct. 9, in Multnomah County.

Rosenblum has been vocal about social media in the past. Last month, she lead a bipartisan campaign with 41 state attorneys general asking Congress to require a U.S. surgeon general warning for young people on social media platforms, including TikTok.