The State of Alabama is accusing TikTok of ‘exploiting children’ in a lawsuit against the ByteDance-owned platform.
Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has been the home of millions of viral videos and challenges featuring children and adults alike.
The company has also been faced with a handful of lawsuits due to the danger of some of its content, like the viral blackout challenge that has caused multiple deaths over the years.
According to WHNT News19, Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a lawsuit against TikTok and ByteDance on Tuesday, April 29.
TikTok sued by Alabama
The lawsuit claims the short-form video app is exploiting children and causing them to become addicted to harmful content. It also alleges the company is lying about the safety of its platform.
By filing the complaint, Marshall wants to hold TikTok accountable for fueling a mental health crisis in the state.
“Today, we join concerned parents across our state to stand up for Alabama’s children. TikTok preys on young people, feeding them dangerous and damaging content while lying to parents about how safe the app really is. This platform was designed to addict kids and put profits ahead of the mental health of an entire generation,” said Steve Marshall.
“TikTok’s so-called ‘safety features’ are a joke. They are nothing more than a marketing ploy to trick parents into trusting a product that TikTok knows full well is dangerous. Alabama families deserve the truth, and we will make sure they get it.”
Alabama’s AG claims that the app’s algorithm is engineered to keep children in a “mindless scroll” that exposes them to harmful content, and that TikTok’s safety measures, Kids Mode and Restricted Mode, are ineffective and easily bypassed.
This isn’t the first time TikTok has been sued by a state in the US, either. Back in October, attorneys general in 13 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit that claims the app uses addictive features that harm the well-being of children.
Content shared from www.dexerto.com.