Utah has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging the Chinese Communist Party-owned social media app uses its technology and algorithms to promote harmful content to children and minors.
Governor of Utah Spencer Cox announced the legal action on Tuesday afternoon in an effort to stop TikTok’s “illegal business practices” and to implement stronger protections for children across the state. Utah is also seeking corrective action and damages well in excess of $300,000.
“We will no longer tolerate TikTok misleading parents that its app is safe for children,” Governor Cox explained before adding, “Social media companies must be held responsible for the harms they are causing. The experts… all agree that social media is affecting our children’s mental health and it’s time to intervene.”
The lawsuit claims TikTok uses tools such as “filter bubbles” to feed consumers more extreme videos to pique their interest and keep them on the app as well as “infinite scroll,” which always provides a video tailored to the user’s interests.
“TikTok directly profited from addicting children to the app and continued to capitalize on the addictive nature of the app despite knowing the harm that addiction would cause Utah’s children,” the lawsuit states.
Utah is now the third state after Arkansas and Indiana to sue TikTok. Montana is pushing for an outright ban.
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