TikTok Faces Over a Dozen Lawsuits Declaring the App Is Harmful to Youth

Over a dozen U.S. states have sued TikTok, arguing that the platform’s addictive algorithm is driving a mental health crisis among children and teens. A bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general is alleging that the Chinese social media platform is responsible for purposely making the app more addictive and misleading users on its safety. 

“TikTok must be held accountable for the harms it created in taking away the time—and childhoods—of American children”

“Our investigation has revealed that TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits. TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the many lawmakers urging for action against TikTok, in a recent press release. He added, “TikTok must be held accountable for the harms it created in taking away the time—and childhoods—of American children.” 

The lawsuits further contend that numerous ongoing concerns surrounding children’s mental health are rooted in the core features of the TikTok app. These include autoplaying videos, risky challenge trends, beauty filters and targeted advertising. It has also been argued by top officials that the platform has knowingly profited from allowing minors to access its services through “deficient policies and practices,” which plaintiffs claim constitutes a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In the United States, users must be 13 years or older to use TikTok.

Concerns over TikTok’s algorithm

Apprehensions over TikTok’s algorithm, in particular, have taken center stage this year. In June, New York launched a first-of-its-kind regulatory response, passing the SAFE for Kids Act, which prohibits social media companies from providing children under 18 with addictive feeds, instead allowing them to view non-addictive feeds, such as those listed in chronological order. The legislation also limits late-night app notifications, which are seen as a significant risk and distractor to children’s sleep health.

Claims that TikTok is not doing enough to protect youth populations are rampant just about everywhere across the globe. The app continues to defend its software though, claiming its implementation of screen time limitation options and parental controls is working, and that they “strongly disagree” with the recent allegations put forward by U.S. lawmakers this week. 

The reality is, however, that parents are ever more worried about their children’s social media use, particularly with regard to how social media has and continues to fuel mental health dysphoria. According to a 2023 EdChoice survey, 52% of parents are extremely or very concerned about the effects of social media on their children’s mental health.

Tips for parents and guardians to help kids and teens navigate social media more safely

Youth ages 12 to 15 who spend over three hours a day on social media face a twofold increased risk of developing mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, according to Yale Medicine. And due to TikTok’s pervasive algorithmic strategy, young users may find themselves in a dangerous downward spiral. As Linda Mayes, chair of the Yale Child Study Center contends, “social media algorithms are built to promote whatever you seem interested in.”

“If a teen searches for any kind of mental health condition, such as depression or suicide, it’s going to feed them information about those things,” Mayes says. Thus, teens striving to explore their identities and personal challenges may be inadvertently embarking on harmful binge-scrolling sprees. These journeys can expose them to recommendations and content about suicide and self-harm, which critics contend are both extensive and insufficiently controlled on the platform. 

The definitive decision regarding TikTok’s future will take some time, so what can parents do immediately to ensure their children’s safety online? Harvard-trained psychiatrist Frank Anderson, M.D., has offered several insightful recommendations. He emphasizes the importance of parents first educating themselves about how social media platforms operate, then establishing clear boundaries and guidelines for their kids’ use, and modeling the behavior they wish to see by also reducing their own screen time. 

While many believe the app’s protections do not go far enough, TikTok does offer some features aimed at safeguarding young users. The app’s Restricted Mode limits exposure to potentially inappropriate and mature content. These settings can be managed through the Family Pairing option, allowing parents to customize their children’s experience on the platform in real time. 

TikTok also remains a threat to national security, according to top officials

TikTok is already embroiled in a serious legal case that could threaten its very existence. In April, President Biden signed a landmark bill that may pave the way for TikTok’s sale amid ongoing debates about the national security risks posed by the app. Under the legislation, ByteDance, who currently owns the platform, is granted nine months to sell TikTok to a new buyer, with an additional three-month grace period before any potential ban takes effect. This development stems from concerns from both major political parties that suggest the Chinese government could compel ByteDance to surrender data concerning TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users. 

For some time, an essential debate surrounding TikTok has been the question of ownership and the potential influence it wields. High-ranking officials within the U.S. Department of Defense have acknowledged fears that the Chinese Communist Party could gain access to user data and wield the platform to disseminate misinformation. U.S. lawmaker Mario Diaz-Balart went as far as to suggest in March that the platform is “in essence a subsidiary of the Communist Party of China.”

Failure to prioritize user protection

TikTok’s foothold in American social media culture remains strong, with millions of users actively engaging with the platform every day. The Chinese social media powerhouse has long been hailed as a trailblazer in digital entertainment, boasting impressive user numbers to prove it. In 2021, TikTok surpassed 1 billion active monthly users, a milestone that took competitors like Facebook and Instagram nearly a decade to achieve. Yet, its consistent failures to prioritize user protection may ultimately prove to be its final undoing.

Lawmakers and top security officials have voiced mounting concerns, asserting that TikTok’s attempts at sweeping changes fall far short of what’s needed. For parents wary of TikTok’s potential national security risks, alongside its profound implications for young users’ mental health, the most prudent move may be to step back from the app entirely.

Photo by Forsaken Films/Unsplash.com

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