Virginia Joins States Demanding Answers About TikTok's Role in Childhood Mental Health Issues

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RICHMOND, Va — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a coalition that demands a social media company’s compliance with an ongoing investigation.

Launched in 2022, the investigation’s focus is to determine whether TikTok violates state consumer protection laws and/or contributes to the escalating mental health crisis among children and teens.  

As a vital component of the investigation, 22 participating states have Issued formal requests to the social media platform, regarding specific business practices and records.  

TikTok, a short-form video hosting service, is owned by ByteDance, a Beijing company. Incorporated in the Cayman Islands, TikTok is based in both Singapore and Los Angeles. The platform is accused of being designed to be addictive to kids and harmful to their mental health.

In 2023, a total of 45 state attorneys general filed an amicus brief in support of Tennessee’s enforcement action in state court. This type of brief (also known as a"friend-of-the-court" brief), is a legal document filed by a person or entity who is not party to a case, but has an interest in the outcome.

The court has twice ordered TikTok to produce responsive documents and witnesses for deposition. Administrators of the social media platform have consistently failed to comply.

According to a media release, a bipartisan coalition once again submitted an amicus brief in support of Tennessee’s renewed efforts to compel TikTok’s compliance on October 8, 2024.

 “TikTok cannot continue to evade accountability for the ongoing mental health crisis as our children and teens suffer its brutal and irreversible consequences,” stated Miyares in the media release.  

Virginia has joined the attorneys general from Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming in uncovering the full scope of TikTok’s conduct and any potential violations of consumer protection laws.

“We cannot allow a foreign platform that influences so many young people to disregard American law and order,” said Miyares. “As a unified bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, we are taking a stand and demanding TikTok’s compliance with court orders.”