TikTok loses bid to dismiss lawsuit alleging its ‘addictive design’ exploits kids

TikTok loses bid to dismiss lawsuit alleging its ‘addictive design’ exploits kids


FILE PHOTO: TikTok app logo is seen in this illustration taken, August 22, 2022. 

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

A judge this week rejected TikTok’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit by the state of New Hampshire accusing it of using manipulative design features aimed at children and teens.

“The Court’s decision is an important step toward holding TikTok accountable for unlawful practices that put children at risk,” state Attorney General John Formella said in a statement Friday.

In his ruling Tuesday, New Hampshire Superior Court Judge John Kissinger Jr. said that the state’s allegations were valid and specific enough to proceed, writing the civil claims were “based on the App’s alleged defective and dangerous features” and not the content in the app.

The state alleges that social media platform TikTok is intentionally designed to be addictive and aims to exploit its young user base.

The suit accuses the platform of implementing “addictive design features” meant to keep children engaged longer, increasing their exposure to advertisements and prompting purchases through TikTok’s e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop.

CNBC has reached out to TikTok for comment.

The case is the latest example of attorneys general targeting design elements and safety policies from tech companies instead of the content on the platforms, which is created by other users.

Meta was accused by several states of implementing addictive features across its family of apps that have detrimental effects on children’s mental health.

New Mexico filed a lawsuit against Snapchat in September, alleging the app was creating an environment where “predators can easily target children through sextortion schemes.”

In April, social-messaging platform Discord was sued by the New Jersey attorney general over misleading consumers about child safety features.

Congress has attempted to take action on regulating social media platforms, but to no avail. The Kids Online Safety Act was reintroduced to Congress in May after stalling in 2024.

The measure would require social media platforms to have a “duty of care” to prevent their products from harming children.

TikTok’s latest legal hurdle comes as its future in the U.S. remains uncertain.

In April 2024, President Joe Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to divest of TikTok or see the app banned in the U.S. The app was removed from Apple and Google app stores in January ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Since taking office, Trump has postponed enforcement of the ban and continued to push back deadlines.

In June, Trump granted ByteDance more time to sell off its U.S. TikTok operations, marking his third extension. The updated deadline is now set for September 17.

Trump also said in June that a group of “very wealthy people” is ready to buy TikTok and told reporters that he would be having discussions with China about a potential deal.

TikTok is now building a new version of its app for U.S. users, The Information reported. The standalone app is expected to operate on a separate algorithm and data system.



Source

NASA employees on Artemis missions with SpaceX, Blue Origin to work through shutdown
Technology

NASA employees on Artemis missions with SpaceX, Blue Origin to work through shutdown

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images NASA is requiring employees involved in Artemis missions with contractors SpaceX and […]

Read More
Google cuts more than 100 design-related roles in cloud unit
Technology

Google cuts more than 100 design-related roles in cloud unit

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, speaks at a cloud computing conference held by the company in 2019. Michael Short | Bloomberg | Getty Images Google has laid off more than 100 employees in design-related roles, CNBC has learned. Earlier this week, the company laid off employees within the cloud unit’s “quantitative user experience research” […]

Read More
Intel stock pops on news company is in early talks to add AMD as a customer
Technology

Intel stock pops on news company is in early talks to add AMD as a customer

Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan speaks at the company’s Annual Manufacturing Technology Conference in San Jose, California, U.S. April 29, 2025. Laure Andrillon | Reuters Intel is in early talks with AMD to manufacture chips for it in its foundry business, according to a report from Semafor. Intel shares rose as much as 6% on the […]

Read More