New York Alleges TikTok Used 'Placebo' Safety Features to Mislead Users, Including Children
New York Attorney General Letitia James has expanded her 2024 lawsuit against TikTok with new allegations that the platform systematically misled users by deploying inactive, or "ghost," versions of safety features, according to court documents that were recently unsealed.
The updated complaint alleges that TikTok's internal "experiment" effectively blocked certain users—particularly teenagers and children—from accessing working versions of safety tools. One example cited involves an algorithm reset feature that, when made available to users in the test group, appeared to function normally but actually failed to help users avoid harmful content in their feeds.
The lawsuit is part of a broader wave of legal action against the social media company. More than two dozen states have now filed suits accusing TikTok of deliberately designing its platform to foster addictive behavior among young users. These cases generally allege that TikTok employed features such as infinite scroll, push notifications, and algorithmic content推送 to keep younger users engaged for extended periods.
The unsealed documents suggest TikTok may have conducted similar tests across different user groups, potentially limiting the effectiveness of safety tools for specific demographics without their knowledge. Users affected by these practices reportedly had no indication they were receiving a placebo version of the features they believed were protecting them.
TikTok has faced ongoing regulatory scrutiny over its safety practices regarding minors. This latest development in New York's legal action could strengthen the state's case by providing evidence that the company not only failed to protect young users but actively deployed deceptive measures to give the appearance of protection without delivering the actual benefit.