TikTok Sued by 14 Attorneys General for Harming Children’s Mental Health

A bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general from across the United States filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, accusing the platform of “addicting” young users and negatively impacting their mental health.

The lawsuits, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, highlight concerns with several aspects of TikTok’s design, including its endlessly scrolling feed, viral “challenge” videos that sometimes promote risky behavior, and late-night notifications that could disrupt children’s sleep. These lawsuits represent just the latest legal pressure on TikTok, which also faces a potential ban in the U.S., allegations of unlawfully collecting children’s data, and other state actions.

Earlier this year, New York enacted a law regulating social media algorithms, which will require platforms to display content in chronological order for users under 18. In September, 42 attorneys general urged U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to introduce warning labels on social media apps due to their potential harm to young people.

TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek responded to the lawsuits, stating, “We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading. We are proud of the work we’ve done to protect teens and will continue to update and improve our platform.” He also emphasized TikTok’s implementation of safety features, such as screen time limits for minors and parental control tools.

Despite TikTok’s defense, the attorneys general argue that the platform is not doing enough to protect its young users. They claim that TikTok’s business model focuses on keeping minors engaged as long as possible to increase revenue from targeted advertising. The complaint, filed by Letitia James, asserts that TikTok is aware of the harmful effects its platform has on teenagers’ mental health and deliberately targets users under the age of 13, despite claiming the app is for those 13 and older.

The lawsuit also accuses TikTok of prioritizing profits over safety, noting that the platform earned $16 billion in U.S. revenue in 2023, with $2 billion of that coming from ads directed at teens aged 13 to 17. TikTok’s beauty filters, which alter users’ appearances, are said to contribute to negative body image issues and related mental health problems. Furthermore, the lawsuit points to dangerous viral trends, such as “subway surfing,” which led to the death of a Brooklyn teenager earlier this year.

James’ complaint also alleges that TikTok violates the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by allowing children under 13 to use the app and collecting their personal data without parental consent. The lawsuit seeks financial penalties against TikTok, including reimbursement for profits from ads targeting young users.

This legal action comes alongside a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which highlights the pervasive role of social media in American teenagers’ lives and its link to mental health issues. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, over 75% of high school students use social media multiple times a day, with frequent users more likely to experience negative emotions and have serious mental health concerns, including persistent feelings of sadness and thoughts of suicide.

The report also found that teen girls are more likely than boys to report poor mental health and frequent social media use. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey has been conducted for more than 30 years to assess the well-being of American high school students. The latest data, from 2023, includes responses from over 20,000 students across 155 schools.