NEW YORK (WCAX) – More than a dozen states, including Vermont and New York, are suing the popular short-form video app TikTok, alleging it harms the mental health of children.
The lawsuits were filed separately on Tuesday and argue the app violated consumer protection laws and contributed to a teen mental health crisis.
The states’ attorneys general want TikTok to change features they argue are manipulative and harmful, such as endless scrolling, push notifications that come with built-in “buzzes” and face filters that create unattainable appearances for users.
“TikTok claims that is safe for young people, but that is far from true. 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 because of TikTok’s addictive features,” New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a statement.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
TikTok is slated to be banned in the U.S. in January unless its China-based parent company Byte Dance sells the app.