Florida sues TikTok over child social media ban violation
Florida announced Monday that it had filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the platform of violating the state’s child social media restrictions, Anadolu reported.
At a press conference, Attorney General James Uthmeier said TikTok engaged in “a series of violations of Florida law by actively targeting and contracting with minors while deceiving parents about the dangers of the app.”
“TikTok’s success hinges on its ability to addict children and teenagers,” Uthmeier stated. “TikTok knowingly deceives parents and allows children to be exposed to harmful and inappropriate content in direct violation of Florida law. We have zero tolerance for companies that prioritize profit over children’s safety. TikTok should expect to be held accountable.”
Florida’s 2025 law prohibits children under 14 from using social media and requires parental consent for 15- and 16-year-olds to create accounts. The lawsuit claims TikTok allowed underage users to sign up without restrictions and failed to enforce parental consent requirements.
Additionally, the state accuses TikTok of violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by misleading parents about the safety and appropriateness of content available to minors.
Earlier, it was reported that the United Kingdom plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms as part of a wide-ranging effort to strengthen online safety and reduce the impact of digital services on young people.
