WASHINGTON (AP) — State attorneys general, including Tennessee's AG Herbert Slatery, have launched a nationwide investigation into TikTok and its possible harmful effects on young users’ mental health.
It represents a widening of government scrutiny of the wildly popular video platform. The investigation was announced Wednesday by a bipartisan group of attorneys general from states including California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont.
U.S. lawmakers and federal regulators have criticized TikTok, citing practices and computer-driven promotion of content they say can endanger the physical and mental health of young users. The platform has an estimated 1 billion monthly users and is especially popular with teens and younger children.
Last month, Texas opened an investigation into TikTok’s alleged violations of children’s privacy.
