According to CNBC, in the latest lawsuit, TikTok was accused of using addictive algorithms to retain young users as long as possible, thereby profiting from advertising. The general departments of at least 33 states said that this short video app has deceived the public about its safety and the negative impacts it has on.
" Tiktok is well aware that the content it disseminates is harmful to the mental health of adolescents," said New York Attorney General Letitia James. She stressed that TikTok's actions were "irresponsible and violated consumer protection laws".
The lawsuit also accuses TikTok of violating child privacy laws when collecting data without full parents' consent. These behaviors, according to prosecutors, have contributed to the rate of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental health problems in young people skyrocketing in recent years.
TikTok has denied the allegations and said the company always prioritizes the safety of young users. In a recent statement, TikTok said it has deployed many protective features, including limited usage time, content control, and parental management tools.
However, the plaintiffs said the measures were formal and not enough to prevent negative impacts on millions of children in the US.
This is not the first time TikTok has been sued in the US. In 2023, Utah state and Arkansas sued the app on similar allegations. The US government is also considering forcing TikTok to separate from Chinese parent company - ByteDance, otherwise it will be banned from operating in this country.
The new lawsuit is a sign that the wave of protests against TikTok in the US continues to increase, especially as lawmakers and parents are increasingly concerned about the impact of this platform on the younger generation.
