N.C., S.C. attorney generals join investigation into TikTok and its effect on children

RALEIGH, N.C. (WBTV) - North Carolina and South Carolina attorney generals both announced Wednesday that they will be joining a nationwide investigation into the social media platform TikTok.

Attorney Generals Josh Stein (N.C.) and Alan Wilson (S.C.) both said they would be a part of the investigation of how TikTok provides and promotes its social media platform to children and young adults.

A bipartisan group of attorneys generals is examining whether the company violated state consumer protection laws by putting young people at risk.

“I’m very concerned about the ways in which social media companies may be using their technology to hook our kids without regard for their emotional or mental health,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “This investigation will shed more light on TikTok’s business practices and how they may harm our children. I will do everything in my power to keep North Carolina’s children safe, whether they’re at school, on the playground, or online.”

The investigation will look into what harms TikTok causes to young users and what they know about those harms. The investigation focuses, among other things, on the techniques TikTok uses to boost young user engagement, including the amount of time and frequency spent on the platform.

“Our children are precious and vulnerable and we need to ensure that they’re fully protected,” Wilson said in a statement.

TikTok sent a statement to WBTV responding to the investigation.

“We care deeply about building an experience that helps to protect and support the well-being of our community, and appreciate that the state attorneys general are focusing on the safety of younger users. We look forward to providing information on the many safety and privacy protections we have for teens,” a spokesperson for TikTok said.

Copyright 2022 WBTV. All rights reserved.