Alabama sues TikTok: State AG accuses app of fueling youth mental health crisis
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced last week that the state is filing a lawsuit against TikTok Inc. and ByteDance Inc. to hold the companies accountable for a mental health crisis on the youth of Alabama.
Here's what we know:
TikTok is a social media app best known for short-form videos that keep users scrolling for hours. Creators can upload videos that are just a few seconds long or up to 10 minutes long.
The app's secret sauce? A personalized "For You Page" powered by an innovative algorithm that serves up content based on what you like to watch. Expect plenty of singing, dancing, lip syncing and viral comedy.
But that "secret sauce" is under fire as Alabama lawmakers are challenging TikTok's algorithm in their lawsuit, claiming it's designed to addict users, especially youth.
Alabama's lawsuit claims TikTok's algorithm is built to keep kids hooked, pushing an endless stream of content that promotes depression, eating disorders, self-harm and drug use.
The lawsuit alleges that TikTok's safeguards for minors are easy to circumvent and don't do enough to protect young users.
According to TikTok's website, the platform is recommended for users ages 12 and up, with parental guidance. In the U.S., children under 13 are offered a limited, "view-only" app version.
TikTok says it starts all accounts for users under 18 as private by default, though teens can switch to public settings. There's also a 60-minute daily screen time limit for users under 18. Those under 16 can't use direct messaging or go live, and their content is not shown on the app's popular "For You" page.
TikTok offers a tool called "Family Pairing," which lets parents and guardians connect their accounts to their teens. The feature allows adults to set screen time limits and requires a passcode if the teen wants more time on the app.
Parents can also filter out specific keywords to help control what appears on their child's "For You" feed. They can also manage comment settings, including turning off comments altogether.
Another claim in the lawsuit accuses TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, of collecting sensitive data on Americans and potentially sharing it with the Chinese government. Attorney General Marshall alleges that because ByteDance is based in China, it is subject to laws requiring companies to cooperate with Chinese intelligence services.
Marshall argues that TikTok and ByteDance are engaged in espionage by exploiting personal information, especially data belonging to minors.
The lawsuit asks for civil penalties under Alabama's Deceptive Trade Practices Act and compensatory and punitive damages for the state. It also seeks a court order requiring TikTok to stop what the state calls deceptive practices related to youth safety.
A copy of the complaint can be viewed here.
Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: TikTok algorithm under fire as state AG cites 'mental health crisis'
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