Continue reading on DataGuidance with:
Free Member
Limited ArticlesCreate an account to continue accessing select articles, resources, and guidance notes.
Already have an account? Log in
Create an account
Join our community for free to access exclusive whitepapers, reports, and regulatory information.
District of Columbia: AG sues TikTok for violations of state consumer protection laws
On October 8, 2024, the District of Columbia Attorney General (AG) announced that it filed a lawsuit against TikTok Inc., for violations of state consumer protection laws by causing mental and physical harm to children through its platform, deceiving its users and their parents about the safety of its platform, and illegally operating a money transmission business.
What are the allegations in the complaint?
In the lawsuit, the AG alleges that:
TikTok is intentionally addictive, harmful, and exploitative and uses a dopamine-inducing algorithm that spoon-feeds users highly tailored videos to keep them trapped on the platform for hours on end;
TikTok falsely claims its platform is a safe place where users can control their engagement, their spending, and their data;
TikTok operates an unlicensed money transmission system, allowing the financial exploitation of children; and
TikTok not only enables sexual exploitation of children through its livestreaming and illegal virtual currency features, but profits from it, extracting up to a 50% commission from each financial transaction.
Nationwide effort
Similar lawsuits have been filed by AGs in California, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, and Washington.
Send us your Feedback!
Please let us know what you think of DataGuidance! It will only take 60 seconds and help us make the site better for you.
