New York, October 9: Short video hosting platform TikTok has had a rough road since the beginning of the year. It has faced several criticisms and even the possibility of a ban from the United States amid various concerns. Now, 13 US states, along with DC, have filed lawsuits against TikTok over harming younger users. The states demand new financial penalties for the Chinese short-video hosting platform.

Reuters reported that New York, the District of Columbia, and 11 other states filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the platform of harming children. The states said the company intentionally used software designed to keep children watching it for a longer period and misrepresented its content moderation effectiveness. Goldstar Shoes, Nepal's Biggest Footwear Brand, Begins Layoffs, Closes Operations After Unable To Get BIS Certification in India: Report.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement that TikTok had cultivated a social media addiction to increase its corporate profits. Bonta also said the Chinese platform intentionally targeted children as they could not defend themselves or create healthy boundaries around the addictive content.

The states alleged that the short-video platform deliberately sought to maximise the amount of time users spend on the mobile app and target them with ads. New York Attorney General Letitia James highlighted that young people were struggling with mental health due to consuming addictive social media platforms like TikTok. 

On the other hand, TikTok strongly disagreed with the claims made against its practices by all 13 US states. The Chinese platform said it believed that many of the claims made against it were inaccurate or misleading. TikTok said it was disappointed that states chose to sue instead of working together on constructive solutions. Sony To Permanently Remove 'LittleBigPlanet 3' Video Game From PS4 Version on October 31 After Facing Year Long Server Issues Caused by Hackers.

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb alleged that TikTok, by design, was very dangerous and intentionally targeted younger people. The Washington lawsuit said the platform worked like a virtual strip club with no restrictions. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is facing a potential ban in the US over national security concerns.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2024 05:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).