Florida filed a lawsuit against TikTok over children's access to the platform
Florida's Attorney General on Monday filed a lawsuit against TikTok, stating that the platform violates the state law prohibiting social networks from allowing children under 14 years old to create accounts. Reuters reports on this here.
In the lawsuit filed in the court of St. Lucie County, Florida, Republican Attorney General James Utmaier claims that TikTok allows underage users access to the platform and distorts information about the amount of violent or sexual content children may encounter.
"TikTok deliberately misleads parents and allows children to view harmful and inappropriate content, which is a direct violation of Florida law," Utmaier said. He also added that the state authorities have "zero tolerance for companies that put profit above children's safety."
According to the lawsuit, the prosecution demands a court order requiring the ByteDance-owned platform to make changes to comply with the law, as well as financial damages.
A TikTok spokesperson said the company has been cooperating with the Attorney General and informed users under 14 years old in Florida about the upcoming suspension of their accounts. According to him, the company continues to update the platform in accordance with state law requirements.
"We are reviewing the state's lawsuit and are prepared to defend our actions regarding minor safety," the company representative said.
TikTok is already involved in lawsuits by more than 25 state attorneys general in the U.S. They accuse the platform of algorithms that create addiction among children and teenagers and contribute to the mental health crisis. Most of these cases are based on consumer protection laws.
Separate lawsuits have also been filed against other social networks, including Meta, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as other tech companies. They concern the impact of platforms on underage users. The companies deny the allegations and state that they implement safety measures for teenagers.
In previous U.S. court cases, some lawsuits ended with settlements or acknowledgment of responsibility by individual companies within civil proceedings.
Florida's HB 3 law, referenced in the lawsuit, prohibits social media use by children under 14 and requires parental consent for users aged up to 16. It came into effect in January 2025.
In 2025, the state also filed a lawsuit against Snap, the owner of Snapchat, accusing the company of creating features that cause addiction in children and registering accounts for persons under 13 years old.
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