North Carolina has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the popular social media app of harming youth mental health by intentionally designing its platform to be addictive for children.
The lawsuit, filed by NC Attorney General Josh Stein, in conjunction with other state AGs, claims TikTok employs features such as infinite scrolling, algorithmic recommendations, and notifications to keep young users engaged for extended periods. According to the suit, the platform disrupts sleep, education, and social interactions for millions of teens. Despite internal awareness of these issues, TikTok allegedly did not make adequate adjustments to protect young users.
“TikTok knowingly created a product that harmed children, and then it deceived everyone about how dangerous and addictive the product was,” said Attorney General Josh Stein in a press release. “They did this to make more money. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling – you have to be honest about the risks, and you have to follow the law. TikTok failed in both regards, and our children suffer. So, I’m taking them to court to make them do better by our kids.”
This marks the second time Attorney General Stein has filed legal action against social media platforms for allegedly endangering children’s mental health. The state seeks both injunctive and financial remedies, urging TikTok to stop practices deemed harmful and compensate for the damages caused.
What do you think about the suit?
