TikTok Accused by Minnesota of Exploiting Young Users Through Addictive Algorithms, leading to Lawsuit
Minnesota has taken a stance against the popular social media platform TikTok, demanding that the app cleans up its act amidst concerns over its impact on children's mental health. This move comes as part of a broader investigation into TikTok launched by a coalition of attorneys general across the United States.
Sean Padden, a middle-school health teacher, has observed a correlation between increased TikTok use and an increase in student mental health issues. His observations echo the concerns of Minnesota's Attorney General, Keith Ellison, who estimates that 'hundreds of thousands of Minnesota kids' have TikTok on their devices.
The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 19, 2023, accuses TikTok of violating Minnesota laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud. It alleges that the app preys on young people with addictive algorithms, potentially causing harm to their mental health.
TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, disputes these allegations. A spokesperson for the company, Nathaniel Brown, stated that TikTok has implemented robust safety measures, including a Family Pairing tool that allows parents to view or customise over 20 content and privacy settings. Teen accounts on TikTok come with 50+ features and settings designed to help young people safely express themselves and discover content.
However, Minnesota seeks a declaration that TikTok's practices are deceptive, unfair, or unconscionable, a permanent injunction against those practices, and up to $25,000 for each instance a Minnesota child has accessed TikTok.
Minnesota is not alone in its actions. As of Aug. 19, 2023, about 24 states have filed lawsuits against TikTok. Other tech companies, such as Snapchat and the gaming platform Roblox, are facing lawsuits by some states alleging harm to children.
This lawsuit follows a flurry of lawsuits filed by more than a dozen states last year. The investigations and lawsuits against TikTok are part of a larger conversation about the role of technology companies in promoting and protecting the well-being of young users.
The lawsuit comes while President Donald Trump is trying to broker a deal to bring TikTok under American ownership. Regardless of who ultimately owns TikTok, Ellison has stated that it must comply with the law.
Besides Minnesota, no other states have been mentioned in the search results as having sued TikTok specifically over suspected harm to children's health. The nationwide investigation into TikTok is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.
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