Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that his office filed a lawsuit against TikTok in the effort to protect children from what he called “one of the most egregious social media applications when it comes to the dangers that are there at the fingertips of kids.”
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Uthmeier said the complaint was filed in St. Lucie County on Monday.
The attorney general said the state had evidence that basic searches on TikTok will reveal pornography and sexual content. He also said minor users have looked to engage with self-harm content exacerbated by “addictions to these platforms, and in the worst of cases, hurting themselves.”
“So TikTok is looking at potentially billions in damages,” he said. “We look forward to seeing them in court. I hope that they will quickly resolve their issues and protect kids. But we’re going to send a message out there: leave our little ones alone.”
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At the news conference, he referenced a Florida law signed in March 2024, which prohibits children under 14 from creating social media accounts, while 14- and 15-year-olds need parental permission to open an account.
Uthmeier said the state gave companies 60 days to get into compliance.
“Since we’ve started our legal pursuits, Meta has come into compliance… it’s not perfect yet, but we are working with them on a case-by-case basis to make sure that young people who are not mature enough for the harms of social media are not accessing these platforms,” Uthmeier said.
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