In the United States, the Utah Division of Consumer Protection (UDCP) has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the app of being “addictive” and harmful to children, writes The Verge.
According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, TikTok “illegally encourages children to engage in addictive and unhealthy use” with features that encourage them to scroll endlessly to earn more money from advertising.
The lawsuit alleges that TikTok violates the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act (UCSPA) by causing addiction in children and profiting from it.
Another accusation against the app is that it fraudulently conceals its ties to ByteDance, its parent company in China.
The UDCP now demands that a judge order TikTok to stop violating the UCSPA and pay the state’s Consumer Protection Division’s legal fees and penalties.
This case is among a growing number of bans and lawsuits by organizations in the United States aimed at limiting TikTok’s popularity, usually due to fears of espionage.
For example, the app has faced lawsuits in Indiana and Maryland. In spring, Montana decided to ban TikTok, a decision the app is trying to overturn in court.
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