Minnesota Sues TikTok for Manipulating Young Users

The latest trend on TikTok? Lawsuits.

Minnesota’s complaint accuses TikTok of violating state laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud. (Photo: TikTok)

On Tuesday, Minnesota became the latest state to sue the platform, joining nearly two dozen others in alleging that TikTok uses addictive algorithms to hook young people without warning them of the potential harms, Andrew Nusca reported for Fortune Tech.

“This isn’t about free speech,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison at a news conference.

“It’s about deception, manipulation, misrepresentation. This is about a company knowing the dangers—and the dangerous effects—of its product, yet taking no steps to mitigate those harms or inform users of the risks.”

Minnesota’s complaint accuses TikTok of violating state laws against deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud, echoing lawsuits filed elsewhere after a nationwide investigation.

The state is seeking a permanent injunction against the practices and up to $25,000 for each instance in which a Minnesota child accessed TikTok.

The company, meanwhile, faces larger challenges. Its U.S. arm remains barred from operating domestically pending acquisition by a government-approved buyer.

Parent company ByteDance has repeatedly said it has no plans to divest the business.