TikTok Sued By 14 States For Allegedly Harming Children's Mental Health

A coalition of 14 attorneys general from across the United States filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday (October 8), alleging that the social media platform has negatively impacted the mental health of young users . The lawsuits, co-led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta , criticize various aspects of TikTok, including its endless scrolling feed, challenge videos that sometimes encourage risky behavior, and late-night push notifications that allegedly disrupt children's sleep.

The attorneys general claim that TikTok's business model is designed to keep minors on the platform as long as possible to boost ad revenue. They argue that the platform's content-recommendation system is addictive and poses dangers due to compulsive use. The complaint filed by James alleges that TikTok is aware of the harmful effects of its platform on the mental health of millions of American children and teenagers. It also states that TikTok considers users under the age of 13 to be a critical demographic despite claiming to only allow users 13 and older on the platform.

The lawsuit also takes issue with TikTok's beauty filters , which it claims can encourage negative social comparison, body image issues, and related mental and physical health disorders by creating an impossible standard for teens. It further alleges that TikTok challenges can encourage dangerous behavior among young users. For example, a teen boy died earlier this year while attempting a stunt known as "subway surfing," which his mother later found promoted in a challenge on his TikTok account.

The lawsuit seeks financial penalties against TikTok, including a requirement that the platform repay any profits it received from ads directed to New York teens or pre-teens. TikTok, which has repeatedly stated that it believes its platform is safe for children and offers safety features such as screentime limits and optional parental oversight tools, has yet to comment on the lawsuits.