Confidential communications from TikTok have been made public, shedding light on the company's approach to child safety on its platform.
According to NPR, internal TikTok documents reveal the company's awareness of potential harm to American teenagers using the app despite its public statements on safety measures. The leaked information comes from a two-year investigation by 14 attorneys general, which resulted in lawsuits against TikTok filed on Tuesday.
The lawsuit alleges that TikTok was intentionally designed to addict young users to the app, with state officials arguing that the company misled the public about associated risks. The documents, which were initially redacted in most lawsuits, became accessible due to a technical error in the Kentucky Attorney General's filing.
TikTok's internal research indicates that users can become "addicted" to the platform after viewing just 260 videos, which can occur in less than 35 minutes of use. This rapid addiction potential is attributed to the app's short video format and personalized algorithm.
The company's own studies acknowledge that compulsive usage of the app correlates with negative mental health effects, including decreased analytical skills, impaired memory formation, and increased anxiety. Additionally, TikTok was aware that excessive use could interfere with essential personal responsibilities such as sleep and work or school obligations.
Internal communications show that TikTok's time-limit tools, promoted as a safety feature, had little effect on cutting down screen time. A project manager acknowledged that reducing time spent on the app was not their objective. Another employee reinforced this view, highlighting that the main focus was on maintaining daily active users.
TikTok's content moderation practices have come under scrutiny, with internal documents highlighting challenges in removing harmful content. The company's own experiments revealed how quickly users could fall into negative "filter bubbles" of content related to self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide.
One employee reported:
After following several 'painhub' and 'sadnotes' accounts, it took me 20 mins to drop into 'negative' filter bubble. The intensive density of negative content makes me lower down mood and increase my sadness feelings though I am in a high spirit in my recent life.
The documents also reveal that TikTok's algorithm has been adjusted to prioritize content featuring users deemed attractive by the company, potentially promoting narrow beauty standards that could negatively impact young users.
Despite TikTok's policy prohibiting users under 13 from creating standard accounts, internal instructions suggest a cautious approach to removing suspected underage accounts. The company appears aware of young users on the platform through complaints from parents and teachers but takes limited action to remove them.
A particularly concerning revelation involves TikTok's live-streaming feature. An internal investigation found a significant number of underage users receiving digital currency in exchange for inappropriate content, with adults directly messaging these minors about such activities.
TikTok has publicly stated its commitment to supporting the safety and well-being of teens. However, internal documents paint a different picture, with executives acknowledging the potential negative impacts of the app on users' daily lives and social interactions. In response to the leaked information, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek defended the company's safety record, stating:
Unfortunately, this complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context to misrepresent our commitment to community safety.
The revelations from these internal documents have intensified scrutiny of TikTok's practices regarding child safety and addiction prevention. As the company faces legal challenges and potential regulatory actions, the debate over social media's impact on young users continues to evolve.
