Utah is suing TikTok, alleging its LIVE feature lures children into addictive and destructive social media habits and puts them at risk.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Attorney General Sean Reyes announced the lawsuit last week. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection is the agency behind the lawsuit.
"TikTok has created a virtual strip club allowing minors to be exploited across America by connecting innocent victims to predators in real-time. Adding insult to injury, LIVE facilitates money laundering while TikTok quietly charges fifty percent on every transaction to profit in the billions from the entire enterprise," Reyes said in a statement. "Our investigation confirmed TikTok knows of the damage to young victims but feels it makes far too much money to stop."
A TikTok spokesperson told Fox News Digital the app has "industry-leading policies and measures to help protect the safety and well-being of teens."
"Creators must be at least 18 years old before they can go LIVE, and their account must meet a follower requirement. We immediately revoke access to features if we find accounts that do not meet our age requirements," the spokesperson said.
Specifically, Utah officials say TikTok’s LIVE feature, combined with the app’s virtual currency system, “allows adults to prey on children in many egregious ways, including by transacting with and soliciting sexual acts from minors."
"Despite knowing and facilitating these dangers, the company turns a blind eye because LIVE has helped make TikTok very rich," the lawsuit states.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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