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TikTok safety feature left children exposed to inappropriate content, judge rules
Confirmed
In Short: A Texas judge has ruled that TikTok violated the state's consumer protection laws by misleading users about its underage content filtering and 'Restricted Mode' safety settings, leaving children exposed to inappropriate content.
A Texas judge has ruled that TikTok violated the state's consumer protection laws by misleading users about its underage content filtering and 'Restricted Mode' safety settings, leaving children exposed to inappropriate content, according to The Independent.
The ruling by Judge Cory Liu found that TikTok internally labeled certain rule-breaking posts as 'hard to find' rather than 'do not allow,' allowing the content to remain online, despite assurances that it would be removed.
Furthermore, the judge noted that TikTok's 'Restricted Mode' failed to perform as advertised, exposing underage users to inappropriate media that the company claimed would be blocked.
While TikTok settled specific test cases, ongoing claims against Meta, Google’s YouTube, and Snap Inc’s Snapchat are set to proceed toward an October trial, according to The Independent.
What's confirmed
- A Texas judge has ruled that TikTok violated the state's consumer protection laws by misleading users about its underage content filtering and 'Restricted Mode' safety settings, leaving children exposed to inappropriate content, according to The Independent.
- The ruling by Judge Cory Liu found that TikTok internally labeled certain rule-breaking posts as 'hard to find' rather than 'do not allow,' allowing the content to remain online, despite assurances that it would be removed.
- Furthermore, the judge noted that TikTok's 'Restricted Mode' failed to perform as advertised, exposing underage users to inappropriate media that the company claimed would be blocked.
- While TikTok settled specific test cases, ongoing claims against Meta, Google’s YouTube, and Snap Inc’s Snapchat are set to proceed toward an October trial, according to The Independent.
What's still developing
- The three bellwether cases TikTok settled involved minor plaintiffs identified only by their initials.
- TikTok did not immediately reply to requests for comment submitted outside standard working hours.
- Judge Liu concluded that this dual approach violated state consumer-protection statutes.
- The Texas decision arrives amid widespread legal scrutiny facing major digital networks over youth safety.
- In August, TikTok agreed to resolve three separate American lawsuits brought by minors who alleged the company intentionally designed its platform to be addictive, damaging their mental health.
- The deal resolved a major federal court proceeding over accusations that Meta concealed safety risks and harmed young users.
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