Thirteen U.S. states, along with the District of Columbia, filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, accusing the popular social media platform of harming and failing to protect young users.
TikTok has been sued by 13 U.S. states (including New York, California) and DC, accused of harming younger users and fostering social media addiction
10/9/2024
The lawsuits, filed separately in New York, California, D.C., and 11 other states, broaden the legal battle between TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, and U.S. regulators. These states are seeking financial penalties against the company.
The lawsuits claim that TikTok uses deliberately addictive software aimed at keeping children engaged for prolonged periods and falsely representing its content moderation efforts.
“TikTok fosters social media addiction to boost profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. “The platform specifically targets kids, knowing that they lack the ability to set healthy limits on addictive content.”
The states argue that TikTok maximizes user engagement to increase ad revenue.
New York Attorney General Letitia James echoed these concerns, saying, "Young people are grappling with mental health challenges due to addictive platforms like TikTok."
In response, TikTok expressed strong disagreement with the accusations, calling many of them "inaccurate and misleading." The company said it was disappointed that the states opted for legal action instead of collaborating on "constructive solutions to industry-wide issues." TikTok highlighted its safety features, such as screen time limits and privacy settings for users under 16.
Additionally, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb accused TikTok of running an unlicensed money transmission business through its live streaming and virtual currency features. Schwalb added, “TikTok’s platform is dangerous by design, created to hook young users onto their screens.”
US Supreme Court gives DOGE access to Social Security Data
6/7/2025 12:02 AMTrump is preparing large-scale cancellation of federal funding for California
6/7/2025 12:00 AMGen Z men studying an MBA will see a 75% salary bump—that’s 25% more than women with the same qualification,
6/6/2025 11:58 PMPresident Trump is considering selling or giving away the red Tesla, TSLA, that he purchased earlier this year
6/6/2025 11:55 PM
Stay Updated
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest financial insights and news.
Unusual Whales does not confirm the information's truthfulness or accuracy of the associated references, data, and cannot verify any of the information. Any content on this site or related pages are not intended to provide legal, tax, investment or insurance advice. Unusual Whales Inc. is not registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or any state securities regulatory authority. Nothing on Unusual Whales should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security by Unusual Whales or any third party. Options, investing, trading is risky, and losses are more expected than profits. Please do own research before investing. Please only subscribe after reading our full terms and understanding options and the market, and the inherent risks of trading. It is highly recommended not to trade on this, or any, information from Unusual Whales. Markets are risky, and you will likely lose some or all of your capital. Please check our terms for full details.
Any content on this site or related pages are not intended to provide legal, tax, investment or insurance advice. Unusual Whales Inc. is not registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or any state securities regulatory authority. Nothing on Unusual Whales should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any security by Unusual Whales or any third party. Certain investment planning tools available on Unusual Whales may provide general investment education based on your input. You are solely responsible for determining whether any investment, investment strategy, security or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances and risk tolerance. You should consult your legal or tax professional regarding your specific situation. See terms for more information.