- Kentucky AG Russell Coleman’s lawsuit against TikTok Inc. and affiliated entities (collectively, “TikTok”) will proceed after a state court denied the platform’s motion to dismiss claims that it used addictive design features to drive compulsive use among minors and misled users about youth safety, all in violation of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act.
- In the complaint, the AG’s office alleges TikTok knowingly designed features like algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications to exploit youth developmental vulnerabilities, while simultaneously misleading parents about the efficacy of its safety and screen-time management tools.
- The Scott County Circuit Court rejected TikTok’s arguments that the claims are barred by Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act and the First Amendment, and as a result Kentucky’s action seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties will move forward.
- Kentucky’s lawsuit is one of many state actions challenging TikTok’s representations about child safety, including previously reported suits brought by Utah, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, and Hawai’i.