TikTok Accused Of Exploiting Children On Live Broadcasts, Lawsuits In Utah Reveal Shocking Facts
JAKARTA TikTok has long been accused of knowing that its live broadcast features encourage sexual behavior and exploit children. However, ByteDance's subsidiary remains closed due to huge financial gains. This was revealed in a document recently re-sealed in a lawsuit filed by the state of Utah.
The lawsuit comes ahead of the TikTok ban in the United States which is scheduled to take effect on January 19, except for ByteDance, a Chinese-based TikTok owner, selling the popular social media app.
US President-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to postpone the ban. TikTok, on the other hand, claims to prioritize security in its live broadcast features.
The initial lawsuit filed last June by the Utah Consumer Protection Division states that the TikTok Live feature has created a virtual nightclub that connects children's casualties with adult predators directly.
TikTok Internal Investigation
Documents released Friday January 3 reveal the results of an internal TikTok investigation, including Project Meramec in 2022, which found that hundreds of thousands of children aged 13-15 years managed to cross the minimum TikTok Live age limit.
Many children are reported to be victims of "rooming" by adults for sexual acts, including nudities, in exchange for virtual gifts.
Another project, Project Jupiter in 2021, found that TikTok Live was used for money laundering, drug trafficking, and terrorism financing, including by the Islamic State group.
In December 2023, TikTok's internal study also documented "cruelty" from maintaining the Live feature at the risk that exists for minors.
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TikTok Response
TikTok opposes disclosing this document on the grounds of confidentiality and concern that the information could be misused. However, Utah State Judge Coral Sanchez ordered the release of most of the previously undisclosed material on December 19.
"This complaint ignores the various proactive steps TikTok has taken to support community safety," a TikTok spokesperson said. "This complaint also uses misleading quotes and old documents that are no longer relevant."
In October, 13 US and Washington states, DC, also sued TikTok over allegations of exploiting children and making them addicted to the app.
TikTok Ban in the US
President Joe Biden signed a law last April to certify the ban on TikTok, citing concerns the app could gather intelligence on American users and share it with the Chinese government.
The US Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on January 10 regarding whether the ban will be postponed, and a decision is expected to come out in a short time.