TikTok Sued by 14 Attorneys General Alleging Its App Is Harming Children's Mental Health

CBS News

TikTok was sued Tuesday by 14 attorneys general who allege the social media platform is misleading the public about its safety. The app, they say, is harming children’s mental health, with some kids getting injured or even dying because of TikTok’s viral “challenges.”

The lawsuits, filed Tuesday, also claim that TikTok relies on “addictive features” that keep users glued to its platform, which in turn can hurt their mental health. These features include notifications that can harm kids’ sleep patterns and video autoplay that encourages users to spend more time on the platform, without the option to turn off the autoplay function, according to the complaint.

“We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading. We’re proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.