Ken Paxton files second lawsuit against TikTok for exposing minors to explicit content
The suit argues that TikTok, a short-form video app, violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by listing itself on app stores as appropriate for children and not enforcing its community guidelines effectively. The Apple App Store lists TikTok as rated for those 12 and older, while the Microsoft and Google Play Stores list the app as appropriate for users who are 13 and older.
The 66-page filing, which has several redactions, details several TikTok posts containing inappropriate material that seemingly violate the guidelines and ways the app can circumvent parental controls on smartphones through an in-app browser. At one point, the lawsuit states the inappropriate material also included child sexual abuse content, although that section of the suit is largely redacted.
“TikTok actively worked to deceive parents and lure children onto their app despite the presence of an overwhelming amount of profane and illicit material,” Paxton said in a statement Thursday. “Companies may not jeopardize the health and wellbeing of Texas children by blatantly lying about the products they provide.”
A spokesperson for TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Several times the suit references an investigation conducted by the state that found videos which contained depictions of drug use, self-harm and sexually explicit acts. In December, Paxton’s office announced it would investigate several social media platforms’ privacy and safety practices for children, however the office did not clarify in its announcement Thursday whether the investigation mentioned in the lawsuit was related.