Utah Suing TikTok Over ‘Addictive’ Algorithm

Utah’s Division of Consumer Protection is suing TikTok, accusing the platform of getting children addicted to the app and causing them to engage in potentially harmful social media habits. This isn't the first lawsuit TikTok has been served, but it is the latest - here's what we know.

FYP FYI: The UDCP is claiming that the app’s "addictive nature" harms children and that TikTok is "baiting" young users into hours of social media use. Utah Governor Spencer Cox accused TikTok of "misleading parents that its app is safe for children" and claimed that the app "illegally baits children into addictive and unhealthy use" by encouraging them to keep scrolling.

The suit is alleging that TikTok violates the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act (UCSPA) by making the app addictive to children and profiting from it. Utah wants TikTok to change its "destructive behavior" and seeks to impose fines and penalties to fund education efforts and otherwise address alleged damage done to Utah children.

In addition to its addictive quality, the lawsuit is also taking issue with TikTok security, which isn't a new concern. The suit alleges that TikTok is deceptively obscuring its relationship with its China-based parent company ByteDance, portraying itself as independent of the company.

What they're saying: "TikTok designed and employs algorithm features that spoon-feed kids endless, highly curated content from which our children struggle to disengage," Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit. "TikTok designed these features to mimic a cruel slot machine that hooks kids’ attention and does not let them go."

In an emailed statement, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek said, "TikTok has industry-leading safeguards for young people, including an automatic 60-minute time limit for users under 18 and parental controls for teen accounts. We will continue to work to keep our community safe by tackling industry-wide challenges."