Kansas AG Kris Kobach sues TikTok over alleged misrepresentation of safety for youths

Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing the social media company TikTok in Shawnee County District Court for allegedly pushing inappropriate content toward children.

The lawsuit says the company’s filter for younger users is ineffective, leading minors to see content that contains profanity, sexual content and drug use. It also calls out the site’s algorithm as potentially addictive for its younger users.

"TikTok deceived parents by saying that the app was safe and age appropriate. In reality, the app has promoted filth, profanity, sexual content, and alcohol and drugs to Kansas kids," Kobach said in a news release. "Even worse, it has used coercive algorithms that spike dopamine, keep kids on the app as long as possible, and facilitate downward mental health spirals.

"Kansas parents deserve the truth about the harm the app causes to young users, and Kansas kids should be protected."

Kobach’s office is seeking penalties of $10,000 per violation of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act over the app’s claims that there are only infrequent or mild references to drugs and alcohol, sexual content, mature themes, profanity and crude humor.

Kobach is also seeking $20,000 per violation when TikTok’s practices are used on “protected consumers.”

TikTok is facing similar lawsuits from other states and municipalities. New York City sued the company, along with Snapchat, Google and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, over social media company’s alleged adverse impacts to the mental health of teenagers.

Utah’s attorney general sued TikTok over alleged misrepresentation of itself as safe for children. A judge dismissed the state of Indiana’s lawsuit against TikTok over child safety concerns.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kris Kobach sues TikTok in Shawnee County over inappropriate content