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TikTok Lawsuits

TikTok Lawsuits

People who feel they have been harmed by using TikTok may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Learn more.

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Case Overview

People are filing lawsuits against TikTok over alleged physical and mental health harms. These concerns include addiction, depression and self-harm. Young adults and parents of children impacted by these mental health issues may be eligible to file TikTok lawsuits.

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Important updates about TikTok lawsuits

  • April 2025: As of April 1, there were 1,745 actions pending in the social media MDL.
  • January 2025: The current president issued an executive order to pause a bipartisan ban on social media platform TikTok. The ban stems from a 2024 law making it a crime for companies to support ByteDance, which owns TikTok. U.S. lawmakers believed the app could be used for spying and “nefarious data collection.”
  • January 2025: A state court judge ruled in favor of making TikTok’s internal documentation public. Previously, the information was redacted from court documents to protect the company’s confidential business records. This information may also suggest that ByteDance was aware that TikTok could be used to sexually exploit minors.
  • October 2024: Several state attorneys general filed lawsuits against TikTok parent company ByteDance. They allege that the company doesn’t take proper steps to protect children and designed TikTok to be addictive.

See the full TikTok lawsuit update timeline.

Key takeaways about TikTok lawsuits

  • Young adults and parents of teens are filing lawsuits against TikTok’s parent company Bytedance. They allege mental health harms from using the platform.
  • These lawsuits claim that TikTok is designed to addict teens and children for the sake of engagement but it doesn’t adequately address concerns about the mental health issues that arise from the platform’s design.
  • Many TikTok lawsuits have been and continue to be filed in the social media harm multidistrict litigation.

Why are people filing TikTok lawsuits?

People are filing lawsuits alleging that TikTok is designed to attract and addict children without regard for their mental health. These TikTok mental health lawsuits allege that the compulsive use of the platform is an integral part of its business model. 

The lawsuits argue:

  • TikTok earns more ad revenue when kids use TikTok more, so TikTok has a profit motive to keep them glued to the platform.
  • Kids' brains don’t have the maturity, impulse control and mental resilience of an adult. As a result, they have a much harder time resisting the designs of platforms like TikTok.
  • TikTok hasn't warned families about these dangers and didn't provide the tools that parents would need to effectively supervise their kids’ use. 

Client profile

One client working with Motley Rice to hold TikTok accountable is a young woman who is now 22. She began using Instagram when she was 10 and TikTok when she was 13. As a result of compulsively using these apps, she developed a severe eating disorder and general anxiety disorder. 

In her senior year of high school, she collapsed during swim practice from dehydration and starvation. Her mental and physical health was so impacted by these conditions she developed from using TikTok and other social media that she missed her freshman year of college. She required months-long treatment before she could continue her education and still struggles with her mental health. She has filed her lawsuit in the social media MDL to fight back against these companies’ misconduct and make sure that other kids don’t suffer the same harm she has. 

Allegations of TikTok’s defective design

Lawsuits against TikTok allege that the platform aggressively encourages young people to use the app but doesn’t have the guardrails that are needed to protect kids’ mental health. Further, the lawsuits allege that TikTok lacks sufficient parental controls and age verification, allowing children under 13 to easily access the platform.

In addition to lacking a strong age verification system, TikTok allows anyone of any age to browse the platform as a guest, regardless of their age. But the platform still collects data and recommends videos, even though the guest may be underage. 

Beyond not protecting minors, the TikTok lawsuits allege that the app is coded to encourage addictive or problematic use, which can lead to substantial mental and physical harms. TikTok’s “For You” page is optimized to get users to come back often and stay for as long as possible. 

TikTok has been fine-tuned to keep people engaged, and it's very good at what it does. A study found users interact with the app at twice the rate of other social media platforms. But TikTok doesn’t care whether that interaction is healthy or enjoyable for its users. The app pushes whatever content gets people to continue interacting with it – even if it’s upsetting or otherwise harmful.

TikTok may also harm users through the platform’s image and video filtering features. Young users may use TikTok’s filters to create impossibly idealized versions of themselves, leading them to develop poor self-esteem.

What TikTok lawsuits have been filed?

Plaintiffs from across the country have filed lawsuits against TikTok and other social media companies. Currently, there are three main categories of cases:

  1. Individual personal injury lawsuits: These cases are typically filed by parents and guardians of children who have been harmed by social media apps like TikTok. They can also be filed by people who are now adults but began using TikTok as children. Common harms experienced by these plaintiffs include a decline in mental health and development of body image issues. Motley Rice represents people who have filed personal injury claims in the social media harm MDL.
  2. School district lawsuits: These cases are filed by school districts that have had to shoulder increased costs because their students are compulsively using social media. These include the costs of hiring additional counselors and safety officers, and the costs of property damage to school buildings and property. Motley Rice is currently representing school districts as part of the social media harm MDL.
  3. Government agency lawsuits: Dozens of state attorneys general have also filed lawsuits against social media companies. Like the personal injury and school district lawsuits, the attorneys general allege social media apps were designed to be addictive to children and that the companies misled the public about the harm they were causing.

States file suits for addiction and poor age verification

State attorneys general (AGs) have filed lawsuits against Bytedance. In May 2024, Nebraska’s AG challenged ByteDance’s claims that TikTok is safe for children, arguing that it’s designed to be addictive. The lawsuit claims that TikTok doesn’t adhere to its own community standards.

In October 2024, more than a dozen state attorneys general filed lawsuits against TikTok. Like the personal injury and school district lawsuits, the attorneys general allege that:

  • TikTok and other social media apps were designed to be addictive to children
  • The companies misled the public about the harm they were causing
  • ByteDance is using a virtual currency that bypasses TikTok’s age verification, which exposes children to financial predators 

The state of Texas also filed a suit in October 2024, accusing ByteDance of violating the state’s new Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s complaint says TikTok’s parental control features don’t meet SCOPE Act requirements for protecting children’s personal data. 

Court allows “blackout challenge suit”

A federal appeals court is allowing a suit from a mother whose daughter died while participating in a “blackout challenge.” The plaintiff’s attorney argued that the platform’s algorithm recommended the content for the girl. She used a purse strap to choke herself as a part of the challenge. 

How does TikTok harm mental health?

TikTok’s algorithm is designed to entice children into watching TikTok for long stretches of time, even if they only intend to stay on for a few minutes. While the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, has a time limit for minors, TikTok (in the U.S.) does not have the same restriction. The longer a child stays on TikTok, the more revenue the platform can generate from them.

But studies have shown that the more time a teenager spends on social media, the more likely that teen will become depressed. Young people are particularly vulnerable to social media addiction because their brains are still developing.

In addition to depression, social media addiction has been linked to:

Need help?

If you or a loved one shows signs of being suicidal, call the United States National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. This free, confidential call will connect you with a trained staff member. You can also visit their website: 988lifeline.org.

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of disordered eating, you can contact the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). The toll-free number is 1-800-931-2237, and the website is nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Image featuring phone and chat contact information to help people struggling with mental health issues, including contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and the National Eating Disorder Association.

Who is eligible to file a lawsuit against TikTok?

Parents of children and teenagers who have experienced a mental health crisis or exploitation due to TikTok may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Adults who developed mental health conditions after using TikTok as children may also be eligible to file a lawsuit against the platform.

Our attorneys can help you determine if you are eligible to file a TikTok lawsuit. They can also help you gather relevant information, answer questions about the relevant state laws and statutes of limitations for a social media lawsuit and file a claim.

List of people and organizations that file a lawsuit against TikTok, including guardians suing on behalf of their children, school districts, and local governments.

Eligibility

Parents or guardians can file a lawsuit against social media companies on behalf of their minor children who suffered mental health harms such as suicidal ideation, eating disorders and depression requiring hospitalization. Young adults can also file a lawsuit if they were minors when their trauma was diagnosed or treated.

Contact a TikTok attorney

You may be eligible to file a claim if you or your child has suffered with the detrimental effects of using social media platforms like TikTok.

Contact a TikTok lawyer today

Status of TikTok lawsuits

People can currently file lawsuits against TikTok for injuries they or their children have suffered from the defective design of the app.

Many of these individual lawsuits have been consolidated into a social media multidistrict litigation (MDL). The MDL is known as MDL 3047 In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation. 

The MDL is being handled in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. It contains claims against ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (Instagram and Facebook), Snap (Snapchat) and Google (YouTube).

If you’re looking to file a TikTok lawsuit, consider reaching out to a TikTok attorney to explore your legal options.

Important terms about TikTok lawsuits

The social media MDL is a type of mass tort. It's similar to a class action lawsuit but with some key differences:

Mass tort: A general term to describe a type of lawsuit where many people allege similar harms or injuries from similar parties, but each person files their own individual lawsuit. MDLs are ways of handling mass torts.

Multidistrict litigation (MDL): A way of collecting lawsuits that allege similar injuries against similar defendants into one court system. This consolidation allows a single judge to oversee the proceedings and helps establish common facts that may be used between lawsuits. Plaintiffs maintain their individual case. This means the trials and decisions relate to only a single plaintiff at a time.

Class action:  A single lawsuit filed by one person or a small group of people on behalf of themselves and a larger group. The person or persons filing the lawsuits are known as “class representatives.” The larger group is the “class.” The people in the class, unlike a mass tort, do not file their own individual lawsuit. Class action lawsuits allege similar injuries between all members of the class. If the plaintiffs are successful, any award granted by the court will be divided equally amongst all members of the class. There is no TikTok class action related to mental health.

Section 230:  A provision of the Communications Decency Act that provides some protections from federal liability for publishers of Internet content. Section 230 has often prevented social media platforms from being held liable for harms caused by their products. However, a recent ruling out of the Third Circuit may impact when companies like TikTok may be liable for content on their platform. For now, this ruling does not impact cases in the MDL. The MDL cases allege people are harmed by the design decisions of the platform's creators, not by any content posted by platform users.

TikTok lawsuit updates and timeline

04.02.25

April report shows MDL growth

There were 1,745 pending actions in the social media harm MDL.

03.03.25

March MDL numbers increased

The social media harm MDL grew to 1,464 pending actions.

02.04.25

MDL Reaches more than 1,000 cases filed

More cases continue to be added to the Adolescent Social Media Addiction MDL. There are now 1,246 pending actions, including those against TikTok.

01.13.25

Nebraska judge rules that state has jurisdiction to sue ByteDance

A Nebraska judge allowed the state’s lawsuit against TikTok to proceed.  Attorneys for ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, argued  the state didn’t have jurisdiction to sue. The reason is statements about the appropriate age of users and content moderation weren’t specifically intended for Nebraskans. Judge Lori Maret found that ByteDance didn’t provide sufficient evidence to counter the state’s claims.

01.08.25

Apache tribe in Arizona sues social media companies

The White Mountain Apache Tribe filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California against several social media companies, including TikTok parent company, ByteDance. The tribe claims that social media companies are contributing to mental health crises among its youth. The lawsuit's allegations also fall under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.

01.02.25

159 more cases added to the social media MDL

The social media harm MDL climbed to 974 pending actions as of January 2. 

12.20.24

Judge rules in favor of making redacted information public

Utah 3rd District Judge Coral Sanchez ruled that redacted info in the state’s complaint should be made public. Attorneys for Utah allege that the redacted text shows that TikTok knew the platform’s features could allow sexual exploitation of minors and other illegal activities.

12.02.24

Nearly 200 cases added by December 2024

More actions have been filed against ByteDance and other social media organizations in the social media harm MDL. 815 lawsuits were active as of December 2, 2024.

11.08.24

Meta CEO not personally liable, judge rules

Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, is not personally liable in lawsuits alleging  social media companies deliberately addicted children to social media. The judge didn’t find enough specific evidence to establish his personal liability.

10.24.24

School district lawsuits can proceed in the social media harm MDL

U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that lawsuits filed by school districts could proceed as part of MDL 3047 against social media companies.

School districts have filed suits alleging that the design of social media apps has caused mental health harm to students in the schools’ communities. These mental health issues have led to disruptions throughout schools thatand  have increased costs as districts try to help students navigate the negative influence of social media.

10.08.24

States sue TikTok for social media addiction

In October 2024, 13 states filed lawsuits against TikTok. The lawsuits claim the app negatively impacts children’s mental health. The state attorneys general who filed the lawsuit argue that TikTok fosters social media addiction by repeatedly rapidly  exposing children to short-form videos.

10.03.24

Texas files a lawsuit against TikTok

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against TikTok. The lawsuit alleges the platform doesn’t do enough to protect children. The lawsuit also claims the company violated the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE).

Under TikTok’s current model, parents can use the “family pairing” system to oversee their children’s accounts. The lawsuit alleges this system doesn’t provide enough secure ways for parents to verify their identities. It also requires minors to approve the family pairing system on their account. TikTok plans to fight these allegations.

10.01.24

Pending actions grow in social media MDL

The social media MDL includes 594 pending actions. In January 2024, there were 393 clients. These numbers include lawsuits against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube in addition to TikTok.

08.28.24

Court of Appeals reinstates lawsuit

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia reinstated a lawsuit filed by a mother after her child died following a challenge that was popular on the app. The Court deviated from similar rulings, saying that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act does not apply to how TikTok recommends content. While this may allow for similar claims to be filed in the Third Circuit, it is not clear what impact, if any, it will have on the social media MDL. Motley Rice does not represent the plaintiff in this Third Circuit case.

07.11.24

Judge rejects defendant's request for device information

TikTok had petitioned the Court to receive full forensic images of all devices used by 12 plaintiffs in bellwether trials for the social media MDL. In a hearing with U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter H. Kang, the Court ruled against TikTok’s motion. The decision found that TikTok had failed to show a compelling enough interest to overcome the plaintiffs’ right to privacy.

11.14.23

MDL judge refuses to dismiss plaintiffs' claims

Judge Gonzalez Rogers partially rejected the Defendants’ motion to dismiss all of the claims in the social media MDL. The Defendants had argued that they had immunity under both the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Judge Gonzales Rodgers held that Section 230 and the First Amendment barred claims against certain aspects of the apps, she refused to dismiss all of the Plaintiffs’ claims. Importantly, she also allowed the entirety of the Plaintiffs’ failure to warn claim to proceed.

11.21.22

Motley Rice attorney, Previn Warren appointed co-lead counsel

Following the first case management conference, Motley Rice attorney Previn Warren was appointed as co-lead counsel for the social media MDL.  

10.11.22

Social media cases consolidated into MDL

A number of federal claims against social media platforms were consolidated into an MDL in the Northern District of California.

View Full Timeline

Frequently asked questions about TikTok lawsuits

Can I file a TikTok lawsuit?

If you're an adult who used the platform as a child and developed a mental health condition because of it, you may be eligible to file a TikTok mental health lawsuit. If you're the parent of a child or teenager who was similarly harmed, you may also be eligible to file a lawsuit against TikTok.

An attorney can help you sort through the facts of your case and explain your options.

Can I file a lawsuit over harms caused by TikTok challenges?

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides companies with some protection from liability for content created by third parties. This makes it difficult for people to sue people over challenges that go viral on the platform.

However, a recent ruling out of the Third Circuit may be a signal that these sorts of lawsuits may face less opposition in the future. U.S. Circuit Judge Patty Shwartz, writing for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, reversed a lower court’s decision that had dismissed a claim against TikTok over Section 230 protections. The Third Circuit found that TikTok could be liable for damages based on how it recommends content.

Does TikTok have to face lawsuits if it shuts down in the U.S.?

The current administration’s executive order paused the law requiring TikTok to shut down. The order gave ByteDance and the U.S. government 75 days to agree on the platform's ownership. ByteDance is TikTok’s parent company.

Whatever the outcome, legal experts believe ByteDance will still have to face lawsuits alleging that TikTok is defective, addictive and potentially harmful to young users. 

What does compensation from a social media lawsuit cover?

A lawsuit against social media could cover both “economic” and “non-economic” losses. Economic losses can include:

  • Medical treatments
  • Lost wages
  • Current and ongoing therapy
  • Benefits for wrongful death

Non-economic losses can include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional damage
  • Loss of quality of life

What does a TikTok lawyer do?

A TikTok lawyer can help you if you’re considering filing a mental health lawsuit for yourself or your child. An attorney with experience handling social media harm claims can listen and help you understand what legal options may be available to you. If you’re eligible to file a TikTok lawsuit, they can help represent you in the proceedings.

Motley Rice is accepting clients who are looking to file TikTok lawsuits. Reach out today for a free case evaluation.

Our experience helping families and children

Motley Rice attorneys have worked for decades to seek justice for children and families harmed by corporations, including technology and social media companies. If you need help filing a lawsuit related to TikTok’s effect on the mental health of yourself or a loved one, our law firm can assist.

Learn more about filing a social media lawsuit here.

Key takeaways

Why are people filing TikTok lawsuits?

Client Profile

Allegations of TikTok’s defective design

What TikTok lawsuits have been filed?

How does TikTok harm mental health?

Who is eligible to file a lawsuit against TikTok?

Status of TikTok lawsuits

Important terms about TikTok lawsuits

TikTok lawsuit updates and timeline

Frequently asked questions about TikTok lawsuits

Our experience helping families and children

About the Author

Abigail Burman | Motley Rice Attorney

Abigail Burman

Associate

Abigail Burman fights for consumers who are struggling to cope with life-altering effects of negligence and misconduct by large tech companies.

Sources
  1. AZ Central. White Mountain Apache sues social media platforms, citing mental health risks.
  2. CBS News. Nebraska sues TikTok for allegedly targeting minors with "addictive design" and "fueling a youth mental health crisis.
  3. CNBC. States sue TikTok over app’s effects on kids’ mental health.
  4. CNBC. TikTok’s use of casino-like virtual currency to allegedly exploit children faces scrutiny in DC lawsuit.
  5. Courthouse News Services. Nebraska judge sides with state in lawsuit over TikTok’s effect on minors.
  6. Law 360. TikTok's Bid For Users' Device Data Found Overbroad.
  7. Newsweek. TikTok Denies Violating Texas Child Safety Law.
  8. NPR. Trump signs executive order to pause TikTok ban, provide immunity to tech firms.
  9. PCMag. School Districts Notch a Win in Tech Addiction Case Against Top Platforms.
  10. Reuters. Meta's Zuckerberg not liable in lawsuits over social media harm to children.
  11. Reuters. TikTok must face lawsuit over 10-year-old girl's death, US court rules.
  12. U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Pending MDLs.
  13. Washington State Standard. New court records claim TikTok knew its LIVE feature was used to groom children.

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