TikTok is the latest social media platform in the crosshairs, as multiple states are investigating its impact on children.
TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms, and has taken off during the pandemic. Despite its popularity, the platform has not been without controversy, especially in regard to minors.
According to ABC News, TikTok is drawing all new scrutiny, with attorneys general for California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont joining forces to investigate the platform.
“Our children are growing up in the age of social media — and many feel like they need to measure up to the filtered versions of reality that they see on their screens,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a news release. “We know this takes a devastating toll on children’s mental health and well-being.”
TikTok has repeatedly been under fire over privacy concerns and how the platforms handles information about minors. The company settled a privacy suit in the US for some $92 million, while the EU has warned it about its data practices. TikTok has repeatedly been accused of violating the privacy of children, or failing to protect it. The company was also accused of telling moderators to “suppress uploads from users with flaws both congenital and inevitable,” including “‘abnormal body shape,’ ‘ugly facial looks,’ dwarfism, and ‘obvious beer belly,’ ‘too many wrinkles,’ ‘eye disorders,’ and many other ‘low quality’ traits.”
With that kind of history, combined with its popularity, it’s no wonder so many AGs want to better understand the impact the platform is having on minors.
