BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is demanding action from Google and Apple to increase the age restriction on a popular social media platform that’s “not safe for minors” by the end of the year.
Letters signed by 14 state attorneys general, including Landry, state that the app TikTok contains frequent sexual content, alcohol use, drug use, profanity and other mature subject matter that users can search for using hashtags or access via the app’s For You page.
Read the letter sent to Google, Inc. here Read the letter sent to Apple, Inc. here
“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 said. “TikTok abuses our internet freedoms to stunt our children socially through 24/7 viral content filled with sex, drugs, alcohol and illegal conduct.”
Tik Tok is rated “T” for “Teen” in the Google Play Store and “12+” in the Apple App Store, according to the letters. Landry said the Apple Store’s descriptions are inaccurate due to the content that can be found and seen by children.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently introduced legislation that would prohibit the use of TikTok in the U.S.
Landry and the other state attorneys general want the age restriction to be moved to “17+” and correct the rating descriptions. The state attorneys general said they will take legal action against the companies if nothing is done.
