Utah has joined Arkansas and Indiana in filing a lawsuit against popular social media platform TikTok, claiming that the company is enticing children into harmful and addictive online habits. The state alleges that TikTok misrepresents its safety features and deliberately portrays itself as separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The lawsuit aims to hold social media companies accountable for their actions and protect children from the potential negative effects of excessive screen time and online engagement. Research cited in the lawsuit suggests that spending over three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of poor mental health, including anxiety and depression, in children.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes argued that TikTok’s algorithm features are designed to keep children engaged by presenting them with a constant stream of highly curated content, compared to a “cruel slot machine” that hooks their attention. The lawsuit seeks not only to change TikTok’s behavior but also to impose fines and penalties to fund education efforts and address the harm caused to Utah children. While TikTok has not yet commented on the lawsuit, its spokesperson is expected to respond in due course.
Earlier this year, Utah became the first state to pass laws that restrict the use of social media apps by children and teenagers, which are due to take effect next year. These laws include implementing a digital curfew for individuals under 18 and requiring parental consent for minors to sign up for social media accounts. Tech companies will also be obliged to verify the ages of their Utah users and grant parents access to their children’s accounts. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential infringement of children’s privacy and the negative impact on the mental health of LGBTQ+ children whose parents may not accept their identity.
