Current:Home > MarketsUtah sues TikTok, alleging it lures children into addictive, destructive social media habits-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Utah sues TikTok, alleging it lures children into addictive, destructive social media habits
View Date:2025-01-09 21:35:46
Utah became the latest state Tuesday to file a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging the company is “baiting” children into addictive and unhealthy social media habits.
TikTok lures children into hours of social media use, misrepresents the app’s safety and deceptively portrays itself as independent of its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, Utah claims in the lawsuit.
“We will not stand by while these companies fail to take adequate, meaningful action to protect our children. We will prevail in holding social media companies accountable by any means necessary,” Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Salt Lake City.
Arkansas and Indiana have filed similar lawsuits while the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to decide whether state attempts to regulate social media platforms such as Facebook, X and TikTok violate the Constitution.
Public health concerns are cited in the Utah lawsuit. Research has shown that children who spend more than three hours a day on social media double their risk of poor mental health, including anxiety and depression, the lawsuit alleges.
“TikTok designed and employs algorithm features that spoon-feed kids endless, highly curated content from which our children struggle to disengage. TikTok designed these features to mimic a cruel slot machine that hooks kids’ attention and does not let them go,” Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said at the news conference.
The lawsuit seeks to force TikTok to change its “destructive behavior” while imposing fines and penalties to fund education efforts and otherwise address damage done to Utah children, Reyes said.
TikTok spokesperson Hilary McQuaide did not immediately return an email message seeking comment on the lawsuit.
Utah earlier this year became the first state to pass laws that aim to limit children and teen use of social media apps such as TikTok. The laws are set to take effect next year.
They will impose a digital curfew on people under 18, which will require minors to get parental consent to sign up for social media apps and force companies to verify the ages of all their Utah users.
They also require tech companies to give parents access to their kids’ accounts and private messages, raising concern among some child advocates about further harming children’s mental health. Depriving children of privacy, they say, could be detrimental for LGBTQ+ kids whose parents are not accepting of their identity.
veryGood! (774)
Related
- Louisiana mom arrested for making false kidnapping report after 'disagreement' with son
- USDA sets rule prohibiting processing fees on school lunches for low-income families
- Jennifer Lopez appears 'Unstoppable' in glam press tour looks: See the photos
- Mayor wins 2-week write-in campaign to succeed Kentucky lawmaker who died
- Video shows Starlink satellite that resembled fireball breaking up over the Southwest: Watch
- Republican Jeff Hurd wins Colorado US House seat in Lauren Boebert’s old district
- NYC parents charged in death of 4-year-old boy who prosecutors say was starved to death
- Damon Quisenberry: Pioneering a New Era in Financial Education
- Study finds Wisconsin voters approved a record number of school referenda
- Attention Upper East-Siders: Gossip Girl Fans Spot Continuity Errors in Series
Ranking
- Kentucky gets early signature win at Champions Classic against Duke | Opinion
- NFL MVP odds: Ravens' Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry among favorites before Week 10
- Browns GM Andrew Berry on Deshaun Watson: 'Our focus is on making sure he gets healthy'
- Mississippi man dies after being 'buried under hot asphalt' while repairing dump truck
- Florida State can't afford to fire Mike Norvell -- and can't afford to keep him
- From Innovation to Ascendancy: Roland Quisenberry and WH Alliance Propel the Future of Finance
- The 'Survivor' 47 auction returns, but a player goes home. Who was voted out this week?
- How Outer Banks Cast Reacted to Season 4 Finale’s Shocking Ending
Recommendation
-
US Open finalist Taylor Fritz talks League of Legends, why he hated tennis and how he copied Sampras
-
AI DataMind: Quantitative Investment Journey of Dexter Quisenberry
-
Judge blocks Pentagon chief’s voiding of plea deals for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, others in 9/11 case
-
Five NFL teams that could surge in second half of season: Will Jets, 49ers rise?
-
Sofia Richie Reveals 5-Month-Old Daughter Eloise Has a Real Phone
-
Hurricane Rafael storms into Gulf after slamming Cuba, collapsing power grid
-
Joe Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden announces Election Day pregnancy: 'We voted'
-
Best Holiday Gifts for Women: Shop Beauty, Jewelry, Athleisure, & More