TikTok – A Clear and Present Danger to the Youth of America
Written and edited by our team of expert legal content writers and reviewed and approved by Attorney Matthew Bergman
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TikTok poses a clear and present danger to the youth of America, as it is one of the most pernicious and dangerous social media platforms in existence. It routinely delivers harmful content to children, including material that encourages self-harm, participation in dangerous and sometimes deadly challenges, and engagement in disordered eating behaviors. TikTok’s business model thrives on maximizing user engagement, prioritizing time spent on the platform over the well-being of its young users. The more time children spend on TikTok, the more money the company makes through advertising, regardless of whether the content is uplifting or detrimental to their mental health. TikTok’s algorithms are designed to hook children by exposing them to disturbing and psychologically discordant material, which triggers high dopamine responses and fosters addiction. Internal documents from TikTok reveal that its algorithm is specifically designed to maximize engagement by making the platform as addictive as possible. In its current form, TikTok is dangerous, even deadly, and should not be in the hands of young people.
Beyond its impact on mental health, TikTok also poses a national security threat to the United States. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, is partially owned by the Chinese Sovereign Wealth Fund, and the Chinese government has a seat on ByteDance’s board, giving it influence over company policies. Under Chinese law, ByteDance is required to cooperate with Chinese intelligence, potentially exposing the private and personal data of American citizens and youth. This presents a clear and present danger to national security. However, even if TikTok were American-owned, it would still be a severe threat to children. The platform pushes harmful videos that encourage self-harm and reckless behavior, endangering young users regardless of ownership.
Separate from national security concerns, TikTok must be held accountable for the harm it causes young people. Its algorithms and design decisions prioritize profit over safety, leading to tragic consequences. Many parents who have lost their children to TikTok-driven content have suffered unimaginable grief, as their children became victims of the platform’s addictive and dangerous nature. TikTok must change its algorithms, take responsibility for its impact, and prioritize the safety of young users over engagement and profit.
