Utah Sues TikTok Over Allegations of Harming Children and Deception About China Ties

Utah has filed a lawsuit against social media platform TikTok, alleging that the app harms children by getting them addicted and that the company has deceived users about its relationship to its China-based parent company ByteDance.

Addictive Nature Harmful to Kids’ Mental Health

The lawsuit claims TikTok’s algorithm is designed to be addictive and compulsive, particularly for young developing brains. It compares the app to a “cruel slot machine” that hooks kids’ attention and won’t let go.

Research has shown children who spend more than 3 hours per day on social media are at double the risk for poor mental health like anxiety and depression. The suit alleges TikTok’s features encourage unhealthy endless scrolling in order to generate more ad revenue.

Deception About China Ties

The complaint also accuses TikTok of obscuring and misrepresenting its relationship with its parent company ByteDance, which is based in China. It says this is deceptive and aims to avoid scrutiny from users and regulators.

Seeking Change and Fines

Utah is asking the court to order TikTok to change its “addictive and destructive” features. It is also seeking fines and penalties which would go towards education efforts and addressing harms done to children.

Part of Broader Scrutiny

The Utah lawsuit is just the latest in growing legal action against TikTok in the U.S. over issues like espionage fears and contributions to mental health crises. Arkansas, Indiana, and Maryland have filed similar suits recently. Montana banned TikTok, which the company is now suing to overturn.

TikTok says it has stringent safeguards for young users like time limits and parental controls. However, the pressure continues to mount from state and federal regulators. Utah itself has passed strict laws regulating social media use by minors that will take effect next year.