State of Minnesota Sues TikTok Over Youth Addiction

The Attorney General for the US state of Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against the short-form video platform TikTok, claiming that the app violates consumer protection laws by “preying on young people” and fostering addiction through its algorithm. Minnesota joins 23 other US states that are currently suing TikTok.

According to the suit, TikTok feeds personalized recommendations to keep users on the site through a never-ending stream of content known as an “infinite scroll.” “TikTok has created a dangerously addictive platform that exploits the unfinished reward system in our children’s brains,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison at a press conference.

This comes as the future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain. Currently, TikTok is facing a ban in the US unless it divests part of its operations to US ownership. Sitting president Donald Trump campaigned heavily on the ban of TikTok, though he has issued repeated executive orders to delay its ban since coming into power in January of this year.

TikTok is reportedly working on a new app version exclusively for the US market ahead of its potential sale.

However, Ellison has stated that regardless of who owns the app, it must comply with state and federal law.

“This isn’t about free speech. I’m sure they’re gonna holler that,” Ellison continued. “It’s actually about deception, manipulation, misrepresentation. This is about a company knowing the dangers, and the dangerous effects of its product, but making and taking no steps to mitigate those harms or inform users of the risks.”

The lawsuit also highlights the TikTok “LIVE” feature, which allows TikTok content creators to livestream content and receive payments directly from viewers. “LIVE allows young streamers to turn their homes into a performance stage, and allows other users to entice streamers into sexual acts in exchange for virtual money,” reads the suit.

TikTok has publicly disputed the State Attorney’s allegations: “This lawsuit is based on misleading and inaccurate claims that fail to recognize the robust safety measures TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support the well-being of our community,” said a TikTok spokesperson. “Teen accounts on TikTok come with 50+ features and settings designed to help young people safely express themselves, discover and learn.”

Last year, a US judge rejected Meta’s request to dismiss a lawsuit that argued that Instagram’s features (which are quite similar to TikTok’s) exploited children’s psychological vulnerabilities.