13 states file lawsuit against TikTok claiming beauty filters & auto scrolling harm kids

More than a dozen states and Washington, DC have filed a lawsuit against TikTok that claims the short-form video app uses addictive features that harm the well-being of children.

As reported by The Washington Post on October 8, 2024, the Attorneys General from 13 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have filed lawsuits alleging that TikTok violated “local consumer protection laws.”

They claim that TikTok designed its short-form video app in ways that lead to compulsive use that exposes younger users to mental and physical risk.

The lawsuits reportedly aim at various TikTok features like auto-scrolling because it keeps users more engaged, beauty filters that foster unhealthy body image issues, and push notifications that encourage users to frequently open the app.

AGs from California and New York believe TikTok designed the app to “feed on young users’ particular affinity for excessive use.”

Unsplash: Mourizal Zativa

TikTok spokesman Alex Haurek strongly disagreed with the lawsuit’s claims.

“We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading,” he said. “We’re proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product.”

This is just the latest lawsuit filed against the Bytedance-owned company. Back in August, a Canadian man filed a lawsuit against TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook for being “too addictive.”

It’s not the first time a group of states have spoken out against the addictive properties of social media platforms, either. Back in 2023, 41 states filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, claiming they were addictive and harmed kids.

This all comes after President Biden signed a bill in April 2024 that requires ByteDance to divest its shares in TikTok – or risk being banned from the country entirely.

TikTok is fighting against the bill, which will likely hold it up in courts for months – if not years.