Minnesota has filed a bombshell lawsuit accusing TikTok of being “digital nicotine” for kids, fueling addiction, mental health crises, and hidden exploitation.
In a dramatic legal showdown, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has launched a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the social media giant of deliberately hooking children with “addictive, predatory algorithms”. The lawsuit, filed August 19 in Hennepin County, could set the stage for one of the biggest tech battles of the decade.
Ellison didn’t mince words, calling TikTok “digital nicotine” designed to maximize profit while sacrificing children’s mental health. Court filings accuse TikTok of using manipulative features—endless scroll, push notifications, glamorizing filters, and exploitative livestreams—to trap young users in cycles of dependency.
The numbers are staggering: 95% of U.S. teens (ages 13–17) use TikTok, logging in an average of 17 times a day and spending nearly two hours daily on the app. Some spend more than three hours, far above recommended limits. Teachers across Minnesota report alarming rises in depression, anxiety, anger, and even suicidal thoughts among students tied to excessive TikTok use.
The lawsuit seeks not only financial penalties of up to $25,000 per child affected, but also a permanent injunction to force TikTok to overhaul its design. Ellison emphasized: “This is not about banning TikTok—it’s about making it safe.”
TikTok, however, denies the charges, pointing to more than 50 built-in safety features, including parental controls and screen-time limits. Still, critics argue these measures are not enough against algorithms purposefully engineered to keep kids scrolling.
With Minnesota joining over 20 other states in legal action, experts warn this could snowball into a nationwide reckoning for Big Tech. If courts side with Ellison, TikTok—and possibly other platforms—may face unprecedented restrictions on how they engage with young users.
