TikTok Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged ‘Addictive’ Features Targeting Children

A New Hampshire court has rejected TikTok’s request to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the platform of using manipulative design features aimed at children and teens. The lawsuit alleges that TikTok is intentionally designed to be addictive, with the goal of exploiting its younger audience. Specifically, the state of New Hampshire claims that TikTok uses ‘addictive design features’ to keep children engaged for longer periods, thus increasing their exposure to advertisements and encouraging purchases via TikTok’s e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop. The court’s ruling allows the case to proceed, with the state Attorney General stating that it was a significant step in holding TikTok accountable for practices that may harm children. The case is part of a broader trend of legal actions targeting social media platforms over safety and design issues rather than content created by users. The lawsuit also comes amid ongoing scrutiny of TikTok in the U.S., where the platform’s future remains uncertain due to government actions to force its parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations. The app continues to face legal challenges, as lawmakers and state attorneys general push for stronger regulation of social media companies to protect young users.