NJ Sues TikTok for Unlawful Practices Harming Youth

Attorney General Platkin leads lawsuit accusing TikTok of exploiting young users for profit under the NJ Consumer Fraud Act.

New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the social media giant of engaging in harmful business practices that target the state’s youth. The complaint, spearheaded by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs, was filed in Essex County's Superior Court, alleging multiple violations of New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA). This legal action follows a multiyear investigation and aligns with similar lawsuits being filed across the nation.

“Our investigation shows that TikTok knows about the dangerous effects of its platform on young users, and can mitigate these harms, but has deliberately chosen not to do so,” said Attorney General Platkin. “As a parent and as the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey, I’m here to tell TikTok, as I have told other social media companies in the past, that our kids are more than just data points to be monetized to advertisers to the detriment of their mental and physical health.”

TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, operates a platform that has drawn increasing scrutiny for its impact on young users. Despite earlier regulatory action from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the app continues to face allegations of violating federal privacy laws meant to protect children. New Jersey’s lawsuit now intensifies the spotlight on TikTok’s practices, claiming they prioritize profit over the safety and well-being of children.

The lawsuit alleges TikTok uses manipulative features, such as its algorithm-driven “For You” feed, to encourage compulsive use by young users, which TikTok has been aware of but failed to address. By fostering habitual use, the app collects vast amounts of user data and targets children with advertisements. The complaint also asserts that TikTok deceives users and parents about the safety of the platform and its so-called time management tools for teens, which are easily bypassed.

Attorney General Platkin pointed to mounting evidence that TikTok's algorithms and features negatively affect mental health, causing issues such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances in adolescents. Notably, the lawsuit highlights tragic incidents related to dangerous content on the platform, such as the 2021 “blackout challenge,” which resulted in several children’s deaths.

“The ugly truth is that TikTok misrepresents its platform as being safe for young users when, in reality, it is designed to turn a generation of children into social media addicts for TikTok’s profit,” said Cari Fais, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Our lawsuit seeks to put an end to this egregious exploitation of New Jersey’s children and hold TikTok accountable for its unlawful conduct.”

The state’s legal action seeks several remedies, including an injunction to halt TikTok's harmful practices, civil penalties, and the forfeiture of any profits earned from these alleged violations in New Jersey.

This lawsuit follows a broader investigation co-led by New Jersey, which also resulted in similar actions against Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, for promoting excessive use among minors. Additionally, Attorney General Platkin has called for federal action, advocating for a Surgeon General warning on social media platforms that rely on algorithms to drive user engagement.

As the legal battle unfolds, the case underscores New Jersey's commitment to holding social media platforms accountable for their impact on young people’s mental health and safety.