CHICAGO– Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office filed a lawsuit against TikTok for its “harmful business practices targeting children and allegedly deceiving the public” about its dangers.
The lawsuit stems from a nationwide investigation announced by Raoul in March 2022. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to address TikTok’s alleged misconduct as well as monetary penalties.
In addition to Illinois, 13 other states filed separate lawsuits Tuesday against TikTok for violations of state consumer protection laws, according to a news release. In their lawsuits, Raoul and the attorneys general allege that TikTok’s business model, which seeks to capture as much user time and attention as possible to sell advertising has targeted teenagers and even younger children in ways that take advantage of them.
“American children and teenagers are in the grip of a devastating mental health crisis,” Raoul said in a statement. “The addictive features on TikTok’s social media platform interfere with sleep and education, and contribute to depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia and thoughts of self-harm.”
In 2023, 63% of all Americans ages 13-17 who responded to a Pew Research survey reported using TikTok, and most teenagers in the U.S. used TikTok daily.
Raoul said that Tik Tok prioritizes profits over young users’ safety and well-being. The lawsuit also states that TikTok has additional mechanisms it could use to better protect young users on its platform, but the company has opted not to use them in the United States.
In October 2023, Raoul announced a lawsuit, against Meta Platforms Inc., the company that owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, for promoting its social media platform to children and young adults despite its use being associated with physical and mental health harms.
Last month, Raoul joined a coalition of 42 attorneys general calling on Congress to pass legislation requiring a U.S. surgeon general warning on all algorithm-driven social media platforms.