TikTok knew its live-streams exploit children, Utah lawsuit claims

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TikTok has long known its video live-streams encourage sexual conduct and exploit children yet turned a blind eye because it “profited significantly” from them, according to newly unsealed material in a lawsuit by the state of Utah.

The accusations were made public on Friday, ahead of a January 19 ban on TikTok in the United States unless its China-based owner, ByteDance, sells the popular social media app.
US president-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to put that ban on hold. TikTok, for its part, has said it prioritises safe live-streaming.

Utah’s original lawsuit accusing TikTok of exploiting children was filed last June by the state’s Division of Consumer Protection, with state Attorney General Sean Reyes saying the TikTok Live streaming feature created a “virtual strip club” by connecting victims to adult predators in real time.

Citing internal TikTok employee communications and compliance reports, Friday’s largely unredacted complaint said TikTok learned of the threats Live posed through a series of internal reviews into the feature.

It said an investigation known as Project Meramec uncovered in early 2022 how hundreds of thousands of 13-to-15-year-olds bypassed Live’s minimum-age restrictions.

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