A new lawsuit has been filed against TikTok in Utah, claiming that the popular social media app puts children at risk by allowing sexual exploitation and illegal acts. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection accuses TikTok of profiting from deceptive design features that facilitate sex trafficking, pornography distribution, and other illegal activities through its virtual currency system. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes referred to TikTok as a “virtual strip club” that allows minors to be exploited by predators in real-time. The lawsuit alleges that TikTok knows of the harm to young victims but continues to profit from the platform.
A TikTok spokesperson responded to the accusations by stating that the app has industry-leading policies and measures in place to protect the safety and well-being of teenagers. The app requires creators to be at least 18 years old before they can go live, and their accounts must meet certain follower requirements to access certain features. Despite these safeguards, the lawsuit specifically targets a feature on TikTok called LIVE, which allows users to stream live videos to their accounts in real time. The UCSPA claims that this feature combined with the app’s virtual currency system enables adults to exploit children in various harmful ways.
The lawsuit also alleges that TikTok turns a blind eye to the dangers posed by the LIVE feature because it has helped make the company wealthy. While TikTok’s community guidelines prohibit content that puts young people at risk of harm, the lawsuit argues that the app does not adequately protect children from accessing and using the LIVE feature. The complaint cites an example of a popular influencer on TikTok, Charli D’Amelio, who was allowed to live stream at just 15 years old, despite the minimum age requirement for hosting on LIVE being 16 at the time.
The UCSPA states that TikTok’s LIVE feature operates like a virtual strip club, providing streamers with a performance stage and allowing users to exchange virtual money. The lawsuit alleges that the combination of LIVE and virtual currency features makes children more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as stripping or flashing body parts in exchange for virtual gifts. Utah Governor Spencer Cox expressed his concern over the new allegations against TikTok LIVE, calling the platform’s behavior disturbing and intolerable. The state of Utah is taking necessary actions to protect children from TikTok’s actions.
TikTok has faced multiple lawsuits at state and federal levels, with accusations of posing mental and physical threats to children. President Biden signed a bill in April requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app or risk being banned in the United States due to national security concerns. American lawmakers have raised issues regarding user data collection and propaganda spreading on the platform. The lawsuit against TikTok in Utah is part of the ongoing effort to combat child exploitation and ensure the safety of young users online.
