Internal documents revealed on Friday by a US public radio station show that TikTok’s own teams had identified the harmful effects of the platform on young users, but chose to limit preventive measures to avoid reducing traffic.
The documents, cited in a subpoena issued by the Kentucky attorney general, are part of a broader lawsuit filed by 13 states and Washington D.C., accusing TikTok of negatively impacting the mental health of its younger audience.
The papers show that TikTok was aware of the platform’s addictive nature, particularly through its recommendation algorithm, which continuously feeds users a stream of short videos.
One unnamed TikTok executive acknowledged concerns over the app’s effects on users’ sleep patterns, eating habits, physical activity, and social interactions.
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According to Kentucky Public Radio, which reconstructed the internal communications before a judge ordered the documents sealed, TikTok’s research indicated that after viewing about 260 videos, users tended to develop addictive behaviors.
The company’s studies also linked this “compulsive usage” with mental health issues such as reduced cognitive abilities, memory loss, difficulty in contextual thinking, diminished empathy, and increased anxiety.
Although TikTok introduced features like parental controls and a one-hour timeout to limit young users’ screen time, the documents suggest its parent company, ByteDance, was reluctant to strengthen these tools, despite being aware of their limited effectiveness.
One project manager even wrote, “Our goal is not to reduce the time spent” on the platform.
In response, TikTok condemned the release of the documents, calling it “highly irresponsible” and accusing the lawsuit of misrepresenting their commitment to safety by taking outdated documents out of context.
These state lawsuits coincide with increasing pressure on TikTok, which faces a potential ban in the United States due to concerns over data privacy and national security, with allegations that its parent company, ByteDance, shares data with the Chinese government—a claim both the company and China strongly deny.
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