Utah Publishes Fresh Material in TikTok Court Case
In a shocking turn of events, the state of Utah has filed a lawsuit against the popular social media platform TikTok. The lawsuit accuses TikTok of profiting from the sexual exploitation of underage children on its livestream feature, known as TikTok Live[2].
According to the lawsuit, internal investigations conducted by TikTok, named Project Meramec, revealed that underage users who bypassed age verification for TikTok Live received provocative messages from much older users[3]. Furthermore, it is alleged that some adults paid TikTok Live users with an in-app currency called diamonds, which can be exchanged for real-world money, to strip, pose, and dance[1].
The lawsuit also claims that TikTok's compliance teams identified major money laundering patterns on the TikTok Live platform as recently as 2023[4]. This is not the first time TikTok has been accused of such transgressions. Utah News Dispatch reported that TikTok's own studies concluded that TikTok Live facilitated the exploitation of live hosts[5].
TikTok, however, denies these allegations. In a statement, the company claims that the lawsuit distorts its commitment to the safety of its community by cherry-picking misleading quotes and outdated documents out of context[2].
The lawsuit is part of a broader legal action by multiple states against TikTok and other social media companies for designs that promote addiction, expose minors to sextortion, and violate children’s privacy rights[1]. The Utah Attorney General's office emphasizes sexual exploitation via TikTok's livestream as part of its consumer protection enforcement efforts, making TikTok partly liable for enabling and benefiting from these abuses[4][1].
The lawsuit was unsealed weeks ahead of a scheduled nationwide ban on TikTok, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing saga[2]. As the case progresses, it remains to be seen how TikTok will address these serious allegations and safeguard the wellbeing of its users, particularly minors.
References: 1. The Verge 2. The New York Times 3. Project Meramec Report 4. Utah Attorney General's Office Press Release 5. Utah News Dispatch
- The ongoing lawsuit against TikTok, alongside other legal actions by multiple states, highlights concerns about social-media platforms, which include accusations of designs that promote addiction and violate children’s privacy rights, as well as the potential for social-media to facilitate crime-and-justice matters such as sextortion and sexual exploitation.
- As the case unfolds, the technology giant TikTok may need to address more than just the allegations of profiting from the sexual exploitation of underage children on its livestream feature; the broader debates around the impact of social-media on entertainment, general-news consumption, and societal norms could also potentially be at the forefront of discussions, given the far-reaching influence of such platforms.
