A coalition of 14 state attorneys general, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, has filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of endangering children’s mental health and violating privacy laws. The lawsuits, filed on October 8, allege that TikTok’s addictive features have worsened mental health issues among young users and that the platform has misled the public by claiming it is safe for children.
The lawsuits aim to hold TikTok accountable for the negative effects its content recommendation system has on minors, including poor sleep patterns, depression, anxiety, and body image issues. According to Attorney General James, TikTok’s addictive nature has led to tragic outcomes, with some young people participating in dangerous viral challenges that have resulted in injuries, hospitalizations, and deaths.
“Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” said Attorney General James. “In New York and across the country, young people have died or gotten injured doing dangerous TikTok challenges, and many more are feeling more sad, anxious, and depressed.”
The lawsuits also accuse TikTok of violating federal privacy laws by collecting data from children under the age of 13 without parental consent, a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The attorneys general are seeking to force TikTok to alter its platform features, impose financial penalties, and disgorge profits earned from what they describe as harmful and illegal practices.
TikTok’s addictive features and dangerous challenges
TikTok employs several features that encourage users, particularly minors, to spend excessive amounts of time on the platform. These features include autoplay, around-the-clock notifications, and content tailored to capture and maintain attention, all of which have been linked to negative mental health outcomes, such as poor sleep, anxiety, and depression. In particular, the use of beauty filters on the platform has led to body image issues, especially among young girls.
The lawsuits also highlight the rise of dangerous viral “challenges” on TikTok. One example is the “subway surfing” challenge, where users ride on top of moving subway cars. This trend led to the death of a 15-year-old boy in Manhattan. Other harmful trends, such as the “Kia Challenge,” have contributed to a spike in car thefts and resulted in fatalities, including the deaths of four teenagers in Buffalo in 2022.
Privacy violations and ineffective safety measures
In addition to mental health concerns, the lawsuits accuse TikTok of violating COPPA by collecting data from underage users without proper consent. The platform’s policies and safeguards for children have been criticized as insufficient, allowing children under 13 to create accounts despite restrictions.
The lawsuits also challenge TikTok’s claims regarding its safety features. While the platform promotes tools such as a 60-minute screen time limit for teens and content “Refresh” and “Restricted Mode” features, the lawsuits allege that these measures are ineffective and do not adequately protect young users.
A growing effort to regulate social media
This legal action is the latest in a series of efforts by Attorney General James to address the mental health impacts of social media on children. In September 2024, James led a coalition of 42 attorneys general urging Congress to introduce warning labels on social media platforms. In October 2023, James and 32 other attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit against Meta for contributing to the youth mental health crisis.
The coalition of attorneys general, which includes representatives from states such as Illinois, Kentucky, and Vermont, hopes the lawsuits will bring about significant changes to how TikTok operates and protect young users from harm.
For New York, the case is being handled by several members of the Attorney General’s office, including Senior Enforcement Counsel Kevin Wallace and Assistant Attorney General Alex Finkelstein, among others.
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