TikTok violated state laws by claiming its platform is safe for young people and sold minors’ personal identifying information without parental consent, according to lawsuits filed by a coalition of 14 attorneys general.
The social media site launched in September 2016 and allows users to build an online platform by posting videos that range in duration, sometimes lasting a few seconds or minutes. TikTok has come under repeated scrutiny due to concerns about data privacy and youth mental health.
A bipartisan coalition of 14 attorneys general, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed lawsuits against TikTok earlier this month. The lawsuits allege that TikTok is addictive to young people, and youth are dying or suffering from injuries because of dangerous “challenges” promoted on the platform.
The lawsuits result from an investigation launched in March 2022 by multiple state attorneys general, The Associated Press reported.
In her lawsuit against TikTok, James cited the case of a 15-year-old Manhattan boy who died in February 2023 after attempting to surf on a moving subway car. Before his death, the boy had seen videos on TikTok promoting the subway surfing challenge, as well as an advertisement for a ski mask, which subway surfers often use to conceal their identities.
James also highlighted “The Kia Challenge” that circulated on TikTok, which included videos showing how to hijack many Kia and Hyundai car models. James noted the TikTok challenge correlates with reports of stolen Kia vehicles. She also pointed to a 2023 vehicle crash in Buffalo that killed four teenagers, which police suspected was the result of a TikTok challenge.
“Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” James said in a Tuesday statement. “TikTok claims that their platform is safe for young people, but that is far from true.”
“Today, we are suing TikTok to protect young people and help combat the nationwide youth mental health crisis. Kids and families across the country are desperate for help to address this crisis, and we are doing everything in our power to protect them.”
Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused TikTok of placing children at risk by violating the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act. The law prohibits social media companies from selling or sharing a minor’s personal identifying information without permission from a parent.
In a press release last Thursday announcing his lawsuit against the social media platform, Paxton vowed to hold TikTok and other social media companies accountable for “exploiting Texas children and failing to prioritize minors’ online safety and privacy.”
“Texas law requires social media companies to take steps to protect kids online and requires them to provide parents with tools to do the same,” Paxton stated. “TikTok and other social media companies cannot ignore their duties under Texas law.”
In response to an inquiry from The Christian Post, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the social media company finds the accusations “inaccurate and misleading.” The spokesperson added that the platform is proud of its work to protect teens and will continue to make updates to improve.
