New York Attorney General Letitia James has added allegations to a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the platform of conducting secret experiments on teenagers. According to a Bloomberg report referencing a confidential TikTok document, these experiments, which began in 2021, involved around 15 million U.S. users, including a teen who died by suicide.
The lawsuit claims that TikTok withheld a safety feature from 10% of U.S. users to test its impact on user engagement. James stated that this A/B testing made the platform less safe for those involved, specifically noting that the teen who died was in this test group.
In response, TikTok confirmed it conducts tests that may involve some users receiving the original platform experience but denied that these tests compromise user safety. The company emphasized its commitment to continuous improvement and validation of new features.
This lawsuit is part of a larger trend, with New York joining other states that have sued TikTok over concerns about its impact on the mental health of young users. Last month, TikTok agreed to a $300 million settlement in a related case in Alabama, but numerous cases are still active.
Additionally, TikTok faces pressure to resolve these lawsuits following Meta’s recent settlement related to youth safety, where Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion while committing to operational changes aimed at user safety. Similar allegations have been raised against Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube, leading to a multitude of lawsuits consolidated into large proceedings.
