Is Your Kid Addicted To TikTok? Utah Governor Accuses App Of 'Illegally' Baiting Children Into Unhealthy Use

The state of Utah has taken legal action against ByteDance-owned TikTok, accusing it of facilitating an “addictive” environment detrimental to children and obfuscating its connection with its parent company.

What Happened: Utah’s Division of Consumer Protection, or UDCP, has accused the app of violating the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act or UCSPA, and misrepresenting its safety, policies, and ties to its China-based parent company, ByteDance.

The state’s governor, Spencer Cox, has accused the app of “misleading parents” about the safety of its platform and alleged that TikTok "illegally baits children into addictive and unhealthy use" through features designed to stimulate continuous scrolling, reported The Verge. 

See Also: TikTok’s Subscription Model Test – Is Ad-Free Trial A Revenue Risk?

According to the lawsuit, TikTok’s actions have caused extra concern in Utah because it has the highest percentage of kids in the U.S., with almost 28% of the population being 18 years old or younger. 

“The (TikTok) algorithm is therefore designed to give young users immediate gratification,” the lawsuit stated. “TikTok induces that effect by relying on the same strategy that casinos use to hook gamblers on slot machines—keeping them at the machine, spending a quarter at a time, hoping that each pull will be ‘the one.'”

The UDCP seeks a jury trial, demanding over $300,000 in restitution and damages, along with a similar amount in civil penalties and an injunction against TikTok from further violations of the UCSPA.

Why It Matters: The short-form video-sharing service has been facing similar legal troubles in other states, with Indiana and Maryland having already initiated lawsuits and a ban imposed by Montana. 

The app has been scrutinized over privacy and national security concerns, as seen with Montana’s ban on the app. Previously, it was reported that 18 state attorneys general, including Utah, supported Montana’s ban, alleging deceptive practices and potential risks to user privacy and national security by TikTok.

However, despite facing legal challenges, TikTok enjoys immense popularity worldwide. Earlier this week, it was reported that TikTok topped the list of most downloaded apps with 50 million new downloads, reaffirming its strong user base.

Check out more of Benzinga’s Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.

Read Next: How TikTok is Shaking Up the E-Commerce Game with Its New Shopping Features