Seven French families accuse TikTok of exposing their children to dangerous content, leading to dramatic consequences. The platform’s powerful algorithm is at the heart of the matter.
TikTok made teenage girls feel worse, parents say
“ TikTok, the image I had of it, was dance videos, or makeup tutorials, but at no time did I tell myself that there were going to be videos that would explain how to take apart a blade on a pencil sharpener for making scarifications. It seemed inconceivable to me », testifies Jérémy at the microphone of Franceinfo. His daughter, Charlize, committed suicide in 2023 at the age of 15.
In total, it is the families of seven teenage girls, grouped within the Algos Victima collective, who are taking the social network to court before the Créteil judicial court. A first in Europe. Among the victims, two ended their lives, while four others attempted suicidethe parents of one of them also filed a complaint against the platform last year. The last teenager had problems with anorexia.
According to the plaintiffs, TikTok has worsened the discomfort of young girls, not only due to the addiction caused by its model, but also by exposing them to content promoting risky behavior. “ The algorithm captured the style of his searches, and offered him other content, which was worse and worse, on depression, or even scarification. TikTok amplified her discomfort, by dint of flooding her with content that teenagers her age should never see », denounces Delphine, Charlize’s mother.
The plaintiffs want TikTok’s liability to be recognized
However, TikTok explains in its usage policy “ provide a safe and caring environment “, as well as ” providing teens and families with tools and resources to help everyone on their digital wellness journey “. The application often deploys measures which, according to it, help protect minors.
But the reality is quite different. It is proven that TikTok gets young people addicted, in particular by generating constant excitement thanks to the constant renewal of the videos offered. The very fine adaptation of the algorithm to the tastes and behaviors of users accentuates this phenomenon. And apparently, this happens even when it comes to dangerous content that should be moderated.
Across the Atlantic, mental health specialists have already sounded the alarm against the platform, affirming that it could be directly at the origin of various ills such as depression or self-harm, and could even push young users most vulnerable to suicide.
“ TikTok’s responsibility must be recognized by French judges due to the deliberately addictive design of the application and a faulty algorithm in the regulation and moderation of content promoting self-harm, suicide and eating disorders . This content locks the young people who are exposed to it into the idea that these practices are harmless and beneficial, thus directly harming their health. », Assures Laure Boutron-Marmion, lawyer for the families of the Algos Victima collective, in a press release.
- Seven French families take TikTok to court.
- They accuse the platform of having exposed their children to content that worsened their children’s discomfort, leading in most cases to suicide attempts.
- Parents are demanding that TikTok’s responsibility for the deterioration of their children’s health be recognized.
