The state of Utah is suing TikTok over “child addiction harm,” according to a press release from Governor Spencer Cox’s (R) office.
“After extensive investigation, the state alleges the social media giant illegally baits children into addictive and unhealthy use, blatantly misrepresents the app’s safety, and deceptively portrays itself as independent of its China-based parent company ByteDance,” the press release says.
“We will no longer tolerate TikTok misleading parents that its app is safe for children,” Cox said. “Social media companies must be held responsible for the harms they are causing. The experts — from the U.S. Surgeon General and behavioral science researchers to parents and teens — all agree that social media is affecting our children’s mental health and it’s time to intervene.”
The complaint alleges three counts:
“1. TikTok deployed, continually refined, and marketed an addictive product with design features intended to manipulate children, all while knowing that the product caused harm to these young users — an unconscionable business practice.
“2. TikTok misled young users and their parents by representing that its app was safe when it knew it was not — a deceptive business practice.
“3. TikTok misled Utah consumers about the degree to which TikTok remains enmeshed with and under the control of ByteDance, its China-based parent company — another deceptive business practice.”
“Like a slot machine, users swipe down’ on the app to load more videos continuously, each new video requiring only a small investment of their time, and the user is excited for each new video by the possibility that it might be incredibly rewarding,” the lawsuit reads. “This pattern keeps users engaged, constantly anticipating that dopamine rush.”
The lawsuit asserts, “TikTok knows children’s prolonged and compulsive use of its app poses a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of Utah’s children.”
