Washington [US], October 10: Social media platform TikTok is facing another round of lawsuits in the US, with 13 states and the District of Columbia filing a lawsuit accusing TikTok of harming and failing to protect minor users, Reuters reported on October 8.
The lawsuits center on TikTok 's algorithm , which the states say uses software designed to be addictive to children and that it distorts the effectiveness of content moderation.
In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said TikTok promotes social media addiction to increase the company's profits. "The platform deliberately targets children because they know they are not yet able to protect themselves or create healthy boundaries around addictive content," he added.
The lawsuits allege that TikTok is trying to keep users engaged to run advertising campaigns . According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey of more than 1,400 teens ages 13 to 17 in the United States, 60% of them use TikTok, of which 58% use TikTok daily. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that young people are struggling with the mental health effects of addictive social media platforms like TikTok.
TikTok said on October 8 that it disagreed with the complaints. "Many of these claims are inaccurate and misleading. It is disappointing that states have chosen to sue rather than work with us to find constructive solutions to industry-wide challenges," TikTok said in a statement.
The social media platform is facing a number of legal issues in the US.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper