TikTok has soared in popularity in recent years, with over 85 million users in 2022 in the US alone.
A consortium of US states has announced an investigation into TikTok's possible harms to young users of the platform, which has boomed in popularity, especially among children.
Officials across the United States have launched their own probes and lawsuits against Big Tech giants as the national government has failed to pass new regulations due in part to partisan gridlock.
The consortium of eight states will look into the harms TikTok can cause to its young users and what TikTok knew about those possible harms, said a statement from California attorney general Rob Bonta on Wednesday.
The investigation focuses, among other things, on TikTok's techniques to boost young user engagement, including efforts to increase the frequency and duration of children's use.
"We don't know what social media companies knew about these harms and when," Bonta said in a statement.
"Our nationwide investigation will allow us to get much-needed answers and determine if TikTok is violating the law in promoting its platform to young Californians," he added.
Series of probes and lawsuits
TikTok's short-form videos have boomed in popularity with the youngest users, prompting growing concern from parents over the potential their children could develop unhealthy use habits or be exposed to harmful content.
The platform welcomed the investigation as a chance to be provide information on its efforts to protect users.
"We care deeply about building an experience that helps to protect and support the well-being of our community," TikTok's statement said.
"We look forward to providing information on the many safety and privacy protections we have for teens," it added.
Copyright © 2024 TRT World.