TikTok Investigated By Attorneys General Over Child Mental Health Implications

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AGs Investigate TikTok Mental Health Overview:

• Who: A bipartisan group of attorneys general have launched an investigation into TikTok.
• Why: The AGs want to ascertain whether the social media platform is harming children and teens’ mental health.
• Where: The investigation is nationwide.

A group of state attorneys general have banded together to investigate the mental health implications TikTok has on children and teens. 

On Feb. 24, nine states and dozens of attorneys general announced the probe into the impact the social media platform has on children and teenagers, the Associated Press reports.

The states leading the charge are Colorado, California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont.

“A core concern that we’re looking at is how the algorithms work on different social media platforms,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said, saying some algorithms can create dangerous online environments. 

Some child advocates have cautioned that TikTok’s computer algorithms push certain content that can promote eating disorders, self-harm and suicide to young viewers.

“Our children are growing up in the age of social media — and many feel like they need to measure up to the filtered versions of reality that they see on their screens,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. “We know this takes a devastating toll on children’s mental health and well-being.”

However TikTok has said it focuses on age-appropriate experiences, noting that some features, such as direct messaging, are not available to younger users.

TikTok Investigation To Determine Whether App Violates Law

The investigation reportedly aims to determine if TikTok is violating the law in promoting its platform to young people and to discover what mental impact the site has on children and teens.

In total, 44 attorneys general across the country have joined the investigation.

TikTok has an estimated 1 billion monthly users and is popular with teens and kids. However, U.S. lawmakers and federal regulators have criticized TikTok, citing practices and computer-driven promotion of content they say can endanger the physical and mental health of young users. 

Republicans have especially homed in on the company’s ties to China. TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance.

Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Tik Tok’s “potential facilitation of human trafficking and child privacy violations.”

Tik Tok is already facing a class action lawsuit alleging it did not provide adequate mental health protections for its content moderators, who had to spend 12-hour days reviewing “disturbing” content and then later suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and depression. 

It’s also one of a number of social media companies settling lawsuits around claims it stole consumer data. Recently, TikTok agreed to pay a $92 million settlement to about 89 million of its users over accusations that the social media platform had unlawfully collected users’ biometric and personal data. 

The link between social media and mental health has been revealed to regulators and the public. The companies that profit off of those using their platforms may have known about these problems but failed to make social media safe for teens and adults. 

If you are under the age of 21 or the parent of a teenager who uses social media and suffers from certain mental health conditions, you may qualify to join a class action lawsuit investigation. Click here for more information. 

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