California attorney general announces lawsuit against TikTok

SAN FRANCISCO (KYMA, KECY/NBC) - California Attorney General Rob Bonta held a press conference Tuesday morning.

According to a press release obtained by NBC News, the press conference was to announce a lawsuit against TikTok.

The press release says the lawsuit is the latest action for the state "to hold Big Tech accountable for its role in exploiting young people online."

"TikTok has knowingly exploited our young people for profit. It's really that simple. They have an algorithm that's designed to suck our kids in and keep them on as long as possible. And, unfortunately, tragically it's working," Bonta said during the press conference.

Not only that, Attorneys Generals from across the country have also filed lawsuits against the tech company, alleging, in their individual suits, that the company violated state laws by falsely claiming its services is safe for young people, focusing partly on the platform's addictive features, including 24/7 notifications and video autoplay as well as data collection of users under 13 without parental consent.

"This case is not about regulating the content that is shown to TikTok users. It's about TikTok's own bad conduct, it's intentional design choices that trap young people's time and attention and hurt them in the process," said Andrea Campbell, Attorney General for Massachusetts.

In a statement, a TikTok spokesperson said the company strongly disagrees with the claims, calling them inaccurate and misleading.

To watch the livestream of the press conference, see attached video.