Arkansas Sues Social Media Companies Over Mental Health Concerns

By Peri Newman ‘24 
    The State of Arkansas has sued social media companies TikTok, Meta and ByteDance, claiming that these companies are harmful to users’ mental health and digital privacy. All three of the lawsuits object to the companies’ violations of the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The total potential fines from these lawsuits seek millions, possibly billions. 

The lawsuit against Meta frames the effect on young users. In particular, many believe that the performance of tagging others, liking, commenting and other features are addictive and can manipulate the user’s brain. 
“I do admit when posting on any type of social media, specifically Instagram it is very hard to not closely watch who has liked and commented,” said junior Eliana Finkel.
Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, stated that the company had implemented technology to make sure it removes any such content that is closely related to suicide, self-injury, eating disorders or anything triggering before users report it. It is his job to make sure that every interest of parents and teens is met to make their experience safe. 
    “These are complex issues, but we will continue working with parents, experts and regulators such as the state attorneys general to develop new tools, features and policies that meet the needs of teens and their families,” said Davis.
    The other remaining lawsuits against ByteDance and TikTok draw attention to limitations in content and TikTok’s so-called threat to US national security. One suit claims that the app misdirected teens, identifying the app as “suitable” for teens and its “plentiful” demonstration of profanity, nudity and substance abuse. 
Another complaint against TikTok is that it still pushes and publishes mature content for all users in the US aged 13 and up. 
"I believe that many social media platforms, TikTok and Instagram in particular, have a bad influence on young minds. Many children lie about their age on these apps, thereby viewing mature content meant for older users," said sophomore Noga Arieh. 
The second suit against TikTok and ByteDance summons the companies for not mentioning that Chinese government officials can access TikTok user data. Both of the companies did not immediately respond to the claims.
    “China is a foreign adversary that is targeting our children through social media in a serious challenge to American values,” said the office of Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). “China is also threatening our nation’s security and our citizens’ privacy by leveraging information technologies like TikTok against the United States.”
    Currently, TikTok is facing a security review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is a group that evaluates threats to U.S. national security. The committee has been looking into TikTok for the past four years and in 2020 recommended that ByteDance be deprived of TikTok’s U.S. operations. 
    Last year, US President Joe Biden signed a $1.7 trillion spending bill that included an initiative to ban TikTok from federal government devices. Furthermore, both Democratic and Republican-led state governments from over 10 states have banned TikTok from state-owned electronics. 
    "Social media has greatly affected our generation's mental health because nowadays, people are constantly glamorizing their lives on social media," said sophomore Marissa Jacobs. "This can cause other people to both feel bad about themselves and disconnected from others their age."