By Diana Novak Jones
June 15 (Reuters) – Florida’s attorney general sued TikTok on Monday over claims it is violating the state’s law barring social media platforms from allowing children under age 14 to create accounts.
In the lawsuit, filed in state court in St. Lucie County, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican, accuses TikTok of violating the law by allowing underage users to access the platform and misrepresenting the amount of violent or sexual content young users can be exposed to.
“TikTok knowingly deceives parents and allows children to be exposed to harmful and inappropriate content in direct violation of Florida law,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for companies that prioritize profit over children’s safety.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order directing the platform, which is owned by ByteDance, to make changes to bring it into compliance with the law, as well as financial damages, according to the filing.
A spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement that the company has been engaging with the attorney general and has informed users under 14 in Florida that their accounts will be suspended. The company is continuing to update its platform in Florida in response to state law, the spokesperson said.
“We are evaluating the state’s complaint and are prepared to defend our strong record on minor safety,” the spokesperson added.
TikTok is facing lawsuits from more than 25 state attorneys general across the country over claims it is designed to be addictive to young users, leading to a mental health crisis among children and teens. Most of the lawsuits have been brought under state consumer protection laws.
TikTok, Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, and other social media companies are facing thousands of lawsuits brought by individuals and school districts over their impact on young users. The companies have denied the allegations and say they take extensive steps to keep teens and young users safe on their platforms.
In the first trial, in a case brought by a young woman who said she suffered from depression and anxiety after becoming addicted to the platforms at a young age, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Alphabet’s Google negligent.
TikTok, which was also a defendant, settled with the woman before trial. The company also settled another case before trial, brought by a Kentucky school district, agreeing to pay $8 million.
The law cited in Florida’s lawsuit, known as H.B. 3, requires social media platforms to bar users under the age of 14 and requires users under 16 to get parental consent before opening an account. It took effect in January 2025.
In 2025, Florida sued Snap, the owner of Snapchat, accusing it of illegally employing features that addict children and opening accounts for children aged 13 and younger.
Florida called Snap’s conduct “particularly egregious” because the Santa Monica, California-based company markets Snapchat as safe for 13-year-olds, even though it can be used to view pornography and buy drugs, among other harmful activities.
The case against Snap, which said the law infringes on children’s rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, is ongoing, court records show.
A Florida federal judge later blocked enforcement of the law, saying it was unconstitutional. That ruling has been temporarily halted, allowing Florida to enforce it while it fights the judge’s ruling in an appeals court.
(Reporting by Diana Novak Jones; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill Berkrot)
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