Attorneys general from several states have filed separate actions against TikTok, claiming the social media site violates state consumer protection laws.
As of today, 23 attorneys general have filed actions against TikTok, blaming it for contributing to a mental health crisis among children. They also argue that TikTok uses manipulative features, such as continuous scrolling, to keep kids and teens on the platform longer while marketing the platform and its features to parents as safe for kids and teens online and in app stores.
On Tuesday, California, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia filed separate enforcement actions against TikTok. The attorneys general of Utah, Nevada, Indiana, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas previously filed actions.
According to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, TikTok use is pervasive among young people in the United States. In 2023, 63% of all Americans aged 13 to 17 who responded to a Pew Research survey used TikTok, and most teenagers in the U.S. used it daily.
TikTok’s misconduct arises from its underlying business model that focuses on maximizing young users’ time on the TikTok platform to enable the company to boost revenue from selling targeted advertising space.