HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — Attorney General Russell Coleman announces the filing of a lawsuit against the social media platform TikTok for its alleged addictive harm to Kentucky youth.
Coleman believes the platform engages in predatory behavior to “suck in minors” just to turn a profit.
“TikTok was specifically designed to be an addiction machine, targeting children who are still in the process of developing appropriate self-control. It doesn’t take much for our kids to fall headfirst into a digital world of unrealistic beauty standards, bullying and low self-esteem,” says General Coleman. “If we don’t hold TikTok accountable, our children will suffer the very real consequences. Nothing less than their mental, physical and emotional health are on the line.”
The lawsuit alleges that TikTok:
- Created a deliberately addictive content system to maximize the amount of time young users spend on the platform.
- Designed features that exploit children’s psychological vulnerabilities.
- Engaged in a scheme to deceptively market the platform and its features.
- Refused to address the accessibility and spread of child sexual abuse material on the platform.