The state of Indianain the United States, filed two lawsuits against TikTok, whom he accuses of making false claims about the safety of minors on the Chinese video platform.
The legal onslaught comes amid mounting problems for TikTok in the United States, with multiple accusations that the popular app is a threat to national security and a spy vehicle for China.
“The application TikTok is a malicious threat loosed among unsuspecting users of Indiana by a Chinese company that knows full well the harm it inflicts on users,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said in a statement.
Problems with minors and security
The lawsuit claims that the algorithms TikTok they serve “abundant content featuring alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; sexual content, nudity, and suggestive themes” to users as young as 13 years old.
The state also sued TikTok for allegedly misleading users into believing that “enormous amounts of highly sensitive personal information and data” they were protected from the Chinese government.
It’s a statement, TikTok He did not comment specifically on the case, but said that “the safety, privacy and protection of our community is the top priority.”
“We build youth wellness into our policies, limiting features based on age, empowering parents with tools and resources, and continue to invest in new ways to enjoy content based on age or convenience for families,” the company explained.
A relentless campaign against TikTok
TikTok it faces growing opposition in the United States, with several states and the military banning its use in government devices.
On Wednesday, Texas became the latest state to embrace such measures, calling for “aggressive action” against TikTok.
The popular app is targeted for its alleged connections to the Beijing government, which it is feared would allow China use the data from TikTok to track and coerce users around the world.
TikTok is currently in negotiations with the US government to resolve national security concerns, with the hope of maintaining operations in one of its largest markets.
TikTok He said he was “confident to be on track (…) to fully satisfy all reasonable concerns regarding the national security of the United States.”
The spectacular success of TikTok has left rival sites like Instagram, owned by Meta, or Snapchatstruggling to keep up and seeing its once-huge advertising revenue hit.
FBI Director Christopher Wray told congressmen last month thate is “extremely concerned” about the security risks associated with TikTok. (AFP)
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