The state of Indiana is suing TikTok in a string of lawsuits over child safety and data security concerns.
According to the New York Times, Indiana is accusing the app of not protecting underaged users from mature content. The state also claims the social media app is deceiving the public about its data protection.
On Wednesday, attorney general Todd Rokita mentioned the growing concerns about TikTok’s potential threat to the nation’s security.
“The TikTok app is a malicious and menacing threat unleashed on unsuspecting Indiana consumers by a Chinese company that knows full well the harms it inflicts on users,” Rokita says. “With this pair of lawsuits, we hope to force TikTok to stop its false, deceptive and misleading practices which violate Indiana law.”
The first lawsuit states the influence TikTok has on underage users. The suit claims the app has violated Indiana’s consumer protection laws by misrepresenting itself as an appropriate outlet for individuals 12 and older.
In the second lawsuit, Indiana claims TikTok is misleading consumers to believe that their information is protected from the Chinese government. However, the app has repeatedly denied sharing users’ data and information with Chinese officials.
“In multiple ways, TikTok represents a clear and present danger to Hoosiers that is hiding in plain sight in their own pockets,” Rokita said. “At the very least, the company owes consumers the truth about the age-appropriateness of its content. And the insecurity of the data it collects on users. We hope these lawsuits force TikTok to come clean and change its ways.”
Indiana’s lawsuit comes after several states called for TikTok to be banned from government devices.
Discover more from Baller Alert
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
