14 States Sue TikTok, Calling It 'Digital Nicotine' Harmful to Children

Oct 8, 2024, 03:09 PM

More than a dozen U.S. states, including New York, California, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia, have filed lawsuits against TikTok, alleging that the popular social media platform is harmful to children's mental health. The bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general accuse TikTok of designing its app to be addictive to young users, leading to issues such as anxiety, sleep loss, and body image problems. The lawsuits claim that TikTok misrepresented its commitment to safety, collected data from children without consent, and failed to protect young people. D.C. Attorney General Schwalb referred to the app as "digital nicotine" for kids, highlighting the platform's role in fostering social media addiction.