Bandung, Indonesia Sentinel — TikTok, the popular social media platform owned by China-based company ByteDance, is facing a fresh wave of lawsuits filed by 13 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The platform is accused of endangering and failing to protect young users.
The lawsuits were filed separately, intensifying the ongoing conflict between TikTok and U.S. regulators. The U.S. government is considering imposing new fines against the company.
The lawsuits claim that TikTok intentionally employs specialized software designed to make its platform addictive, particularly for younger users. This has allegedly resulted in children and teenagers spending excessive amounts of time on the app.
“TikTok maximizes social media addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement on Wednesday, October 9, as reported by Reuters.
“The platform deliberately targets young children, knowing they lack the ability to set healthy boundaries with such addictive content,” he added.
The U.S. states involved in the lawsuits argue that TikTok uses tactics to maximize screen time, allowing the platform to sell advertising targeted at younger users. New York Attorney General Letitia James commented, “Young people are struggling with mental health issues due to addictive social media platforms like TikTok.”
TikTok has strongly denied the allegations. The company called the lawsuits inaccurate and misleading, stating, “It’s unfortunate that U.S. states have chosen to litigate rather than engage in constructive discussions to address industry-wide challenges.” TikTok also emphasized that its platform includes safety features that limit screen time and provide default privacy settings for users under 16.
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In a separate lawsuit filed by Washington, D.C., TikTok is accused of facilitating the sexual exploitation of minors through its live streaming and virtual currency features. “TikTok operates like a virtual strip club with no age restrictions,” a representative from Washington’s legal team said.
These new legal actions follow a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department in August, which accused TikTok of failing to protect children’s privacy on the platform. Other states, including Utah and Texas, have also taken legal action against TikTok, citing its failure to protect children from various harms.
ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is simultaneously battling U.S. legislation that could result in a nationwide ban of the app.
(Raidi/Agung)
