TikTok Accused by States of Features Addicting, Harming Kids (2)

TikTok Inc. was sued by California, New York, and in a dozen other state courts Tuesday for allegedly deceiving users about its child safety tools and using harmful features to keep children on the platform longer to maximize profits.

The complaints, filed under consumer protection statutes in the 13 respective state courts and in Washington, D.C., claim that TikTok uses addictive features like autoplay, endless scrolling, and livestreams to exploit children’s attention and keep them on the platform longer. Features like beauty filters, likes, and comments also harm children, damaging their self-esteem and mental health, according to a press release ...