TikTok Lawsuit Alleges Harm to Young Users

Internal documents unveiled by a US public radio station reveal that TikTok was aware of its platform's harmful effects on young users but opted for limited preventive measures to maintain traffic. These documents are part of a lawsuit filed by 13 states and Washington D.C., accusing TikTok of negatively impacting mental health. Evidence from the documents suggests that after viewing 260 videos, users often became addicted, with studies linking excessive usage to issues such as loss of analytical skills and increased anxiety. While TikTok has introduced some features to limit screen time, the documents indicate that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, did not prioritize enhancing these tools. TikTok has criticized the release of these documents as misleading and out of context, asserting their commitment to community safety. Additionally, TikTok faces potential bans in the US unless ByteDance divests its ownership of the app.