A coalition of 14 state attorneys general, led by New York and California, has filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of damaging young users’ mental health and collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent.

As NBC News reports, the legal action, launched on October 8, alleges that TikTok violated state laws by falsely claiming its service is safe for young people. 

Each attorney general filed individual suits, focusing on what they term “addictive” features, including constant notifications and video autoplay.

“Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. 

The lawsuits also target “dangerous TikTok ‘challenges’” and the platform’s data collection practices.

TikTok, which boasts over 170 million American users, disputes these claims. 

“We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading,” a company spokesperson stated. The platform asserts it has implemented safeguards, including default screen time limits and privacy settings for minors.

While TikTok has faced controversy over national security concerns due to its Chinese ownership and a potential U.S. ban, these lawsuits focus on the platform’s business model. The AGs argue that TikTok aims to maximize young users’ time on the app to boost ad revenue.

The coalition seeks to prevent TikTok from using “harmless and exploitative tactics” and aims to impose financial penalties, including profit disgorgement from alleged fraudulent practices.

The lawsuit also highlights concerns over TikTok’s LIVE feature and virtual currency system, “Coins.” 

It alleges that these features, introduced in 2019, operate as an unlicensed money transmission system and potentially expose minors to exploitation. The suit claims TikTok profits significantly from these features, charging up to 50% commission on transactions, while inadequate age verification measures allow underage users access.

The attorneys general represent California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington state, and Washington, D.C.

TikTok in Hot Waters

In August, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the social media giant of unlawfully collecting children’s data and impeding parental control over accounts.

TikTok disputed the allegations, stating that many related to past events or practices had been addressed. The company said it proactively removes underage users and implements voluntary protections like default screen-time limits for minors.

Earlier this month, however, Texas AG Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging violations of the state’s new social media law designed to protect children online. 

The Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act, which took partial effect on September 1, 2023, prohibits social media companies from sharing or selling minors’ personal information without parental consent and requires the creation of tools for verified parental supervision of minor accounts. 

Paxton argues that TikTok’s “family pairing” feature falls short of legal requirements, as it doesn’t mandate parent identity verification through “commercially reasonable” methods and requires minor consent for pairing.

The lawsuit also alleges TikTok unlawfully shares and sells minors’ personal identifying information to third parties, including advertisers and search engines, and displays targeted advertising to known minors.

TikTok denied these allegations as well, reiterating that it offers robust safeguards for teens and parents.

Social Media and Mental Health

The legal actions against TikTok come amid growing concerns from health professionals about excessive social media use’s impact on mental health, especially among youth. 

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently identified social media as a significant contributor to depression and anxiety in teens and called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms.

Meta, Snap, and TikTok, recently uniting under the Thrive initiative, have faced lawsuits alleging their platforms contributed to teen suicides. Earlier this year, lawmakers put major social media platforms on blast for failing to protect children and teens.

“We’ve known from the beginning that our efforts to protect children online would be met with hesitation from Big Tech,” a press release reads. “They are finally being forced to acknowledge their failures when protecting kids.”

In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills that altered how minors use social media and expanded financial protections for child performers to include social media influencers and content creators.