DENVER — Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is calling on a Tennessee court to enforce orders requiring TikTok to comply with an ongoing multistate investigation into the short-form video app’s impact on youth mental health.
The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from many states filed an amicus brief Tuesday to compel TikTok to comply with the court’s order. The group alleges the company is impeding the investigation by withholding potentially relevant evidence.
These actions stem from a national investigation into TikTok launched in March 2022 by several states, including Colorado. The group is calling on TikTok to turn over internal communications to see how it's affecting the physical and mental health of children and young adults.
In a separate move, more than a dozen states filed lawsuits against the media company Tuesday, alleging TikTok is harming youth mental health by designing its platform to be addictive to kids.
The lawsuits focus on the app’s algorithm and design features, such as the ability to scroll endlessly through content, push notifications with built-in “buzzes,” and face filters that create unattainable appearances for users.
National
States sue TikTok, claiming platform is addictive, harms children
TikTok disputes the claims, stating they are committed to protecting teens and improving their products.
Meanwhile, Weiser claims the company remains defiant in its separate multistate investigation.
“TikTok’s disregard for compliance with reasonable information requests despite court orders and destruction of relevant documents sets a dangerous precedent,” said Weiser in a statement. “This enforcement action is a crucial step in holding TikTok accountable.”
TikTok is facing other challenges at the national level. Under a federal law that took effect earlier this year, TikTok could be banned from the U.S. by mid-January if its China-based parent company, ByteDance, doesn't sell the platform by then.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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