Fourteen US states have filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of contributing to a mental health crisis among teenagers.
The bipartisan group of attorneys general claims that TikTok uses addictive features to target children by misrepresenting the safety of its platform.
The lawsuit mentioned instances where teenagers were harmed or killed after engaging in challenges that were dangerous.
Harmful TikTok Features
The lawsuit also points to other problematic features such as alerts disrupting sleep and disappearing videos that promote frequent checking of the app.
One serious issue highlighted by the lawsuit was TikTok’s beauty filters that affect self-esteem.
TikTok is Doing Nothing
Despite TikTok’s efforts to introduce tools to limit screen time and manage content, the lawsuit argues that these measures have never been implemented by the company.
This legal action is the latest in a series of challenges TikTok faces in the US including a potential ban over national security.
