People treasure human connection more than anything, which is why social media platforms have become so popular since the emergence of the internet.
From their user-friendly navigation to their networking benefits, these platforms allow people to stay in contact with loved ones, remain up-to-date with the latest news, and even reconnect with old friends.
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TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms and the fifth most used worldwide, with over one billion active users across the globe and 170 million in the U.S.
Its short-form video format and algorithm allows users to quickly consume vast amounts of eye-catching content they enjoy, making TikTok an incredibly addicting app.
Getty/Fotografía de eLuVe
TikTok has a turbulent history in the U.S. despite its nationwide popularity
Although enjoyed by many, TikTok has had a tough go in the U.S. over the last couple of years.
Due to growing concerns that the app poses a serious threat to national security, the U.S. government has taken numerous actions over multiple years to ban it from the country completely.
The social media platform was first banned on all U.S. government devices in 2022 through the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, which was passed in December of that year.
In April, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law that could ban TikTok from legally existing in the U.S. unless ByteDance, its parent company, sells the social media app to a U.S. entity within a nine-month period, but the trial remains ongoing.
However, concerns about the platform extend further than the White House.
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Although TikTok has a minimum age requirement of 13 for its account holders in the U.S. and has content restrictions for users under the age of 18, this has not stopped children from using the app in its entirety.
According to a 2024 study, 25% of users are between the ages of 10 and 19, and over 47% are under the age of 30.
These numbers have caused immense concern among parents and government officials, prompting them to create laws that protect minors from the app.
In June, New York Governor Kathy Hochull signed two bills into law, which were introduced last October, that regulate social media algorithms.
The SAFE For Kids Act requires social media platforms to show content in chronological order to stop addictive feed exploitation, and the New York Child Data Protection Act restricts the collection and sharing of underage users' personal data without consent.
TikTok gets slammed with lawsuits by 14 Attorney Generals
On Tuesday, a coalition of 14 attorneys general from multiple states, co-led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed separate lawsuits with the Santa Clara County Superior Court against TikTok, claiming that the social media platform is exploiting young users and deceiving the public.
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In the lawsuits, the plaintiffs claim that the app contains harmful features, including 24/7 push notifications, filters, video autoplay, and likes and comments that make users addicted to the content, subsequently causing major damage to its young audiences' mental health.
“Our investigation has revealed that TikTok cultivates social media addiction to boost corporate profits. TikTok intentionally targets children because they know kids do not yet have the defenses or capacity to create healthy boundaries around addictive content,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in the filing.
However, TikTok denies the claims made in the Attorney Generals' filings.
"We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading. We're proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we've done to protect teens, and we will continue to update and improve our product," said a TikTok spokesperson in a statement to CBS.
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