Attorneys general want Apple, Google to raise age ratings for TikTok – Florida Phoenix

Attorneys general from 15 states have written the CEOs of Apple and Google urging them to update their age ratings for the social media application TikTok. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
Attorneys general from 15 states want Apple and Google to increase their age ratings for the social media application TikTok. They have sent letters to the companies’ CEOs that say states have the right to pursue legal action if age ratings for the app aren’t changed.
The Apple App Store rates TikTok for users “12+,” and the Google Play App store designates the app “T” for teen.
The letters last week to Apple’s Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai came from attorneys general in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
“While our investigation into TikTok continues, the evidence uncovered so far shows that the platform is not safe for minors,” Louisiana AG Jeff Landry said in a statement Friday.
“TikTok may be the most dangerous social media platform for children and engages in a race to the bottom to ensure teens become addicted and loyal to the brand,” Landry continued. “TikTok abuses our internet freedoms to stunt our children socially through 24/7 viral content filled with sex, drugs, alcohol and illegal conduct.”
The AGs’ letters call the app stores age ratings deceptive, adding that pre-teen children can lie about their age and download TikTok.
In Florida last week, Attorney General Ashley Moody “called on Apple and Google to take immediate action and correct the application store age ratings of TikTok by the end of the year,” according to a written statement.
“While our investigation into TikTok continues, it is important that action is taken now to better protect children from harmful content they might encounter on this China-owned social media platform,” Moody stated. “If TikTok isn’t banned outright, app stores should at the very least increase the age rating on the TikTok app to ensure parents know that this social media platform is not appropriate for users under the age of 17.”
In addition, Moody stated: “The TikTok app contains frequent and extreme alcohol, tobacco and drug use or references, sexual content, profanity and mature/suggestive themes. TikTok users can search for hundreds of thousands of hashtags related to these topics, with each search returning thousands of videos in the following categories—instructional videos about drug use, descriptions of drinking games, recipes for cannabis edibles, demonstration of vaping tricks, pole dancing routines and millions of videos set to songs with explicit lyrics, which TikTok makes available to users in its music library.”
Florida Phoenix editor Diane Rado contributed to this report.
This story was published earlier by the Louisiana Illuminator, an affiliate of the nonprofit States Newsroom, which includes the Florida Phoenix.
by Louisiana Illuminator, Florida Phoenix
December 19, 2022
by Louisiana Illuminator, Florida Phoenix
December 19, 2022
Attorneys general from 15 states want Apple and Google to increase their age ratings for the social media application TikTok. They have sent letters to the companies’ CEOs that say states have the right to pursue legal action if age ratings for the app aren’t changed.
The Apple App Store rates TikTok for users “12+,” and the Google Play App store designates the app “T” for teen.
The letters last week to Apple’s Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai came from attorneys general in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
“While our investigation into TikTok continues, the evidence uncovered so far shows that the platform is not safe for minors,” Louisiana AG Jeff Landry said in a statement Friday.
“TikTok may be the most dangerous social media platform for children and engages in a race to the bottom to ensure teens become addicted and loyal to the brand,” Landry continued. “TikTok abuses our internet freedoms to stunt our children socially through 24/7 viral content filled with sex, drugs, alcohol and illegal conduct.”
The AGs’ letters call the app stores age ratings deceptive, adding that pre-teen children can lie about their age and download TikTok.
In Florida last week, Attorney General Ashley Moody “called on Apple and Google to take immediate action and correct the application store age ratings of TikTok by the end of the year,” according to a written statement.
“While our investigation into TikTok continues, it is important that action is taken now to better protect children from harmful content they might encounter on this China-owned social media platform,” Moody stated. “If TikTok isn’t banned outright, app stores should at the very least increase the age rating on the TikTok app to ensure parents know that this social media platform is not appropriate for users under the age of 17.”
In addition, Moody stated: “The TikTok app contains frequent and extreme alcohol, tobacco and drug use or references, sexual content, profanity and mature/suggestive themes. TikTok users can search for hundreds of thousands of hashtags related to these topics, with each search returning thousands of videos in the following categories—instructional videos about drug use, descriptions of drinking games, recipes for cannabis edibles, demonstration of vaping tricks, pole dancing routines and millions of videos set to songs with explicit lyrics, which TikTok makes available to users in its music library.”
Florida Phoenix editor Diane Rado contributed to this report.
This story was published earlier by the Louisiana Illuminator, an affiliate of the nonprofit States Newsroom, which includes the Florida Phoenix.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
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