The Sconi

Attorney General Josh Kaul has aligned with a bipartisan group of 22 attorneys general to urge a Tennessee court to enforce its orders against TikTok. The social media platform is required to comply with an ongoing multistate consumer protection investigation by preserving and producing relevant evidence.

“With the impact of social media on youth mental health becoming clearer, there’s no question that we must act,” stated Attorney General Kaul. “Among other things, we must ensure that there’s accountability for violations of consumer protection laws that led to harms to youth mental health.”

The coalition began investigating TikTok in 2022 over concerns it might be violating state consumer protection laws and contributing to the mental health crisis among children and teens. Multiple states have requested information about TikTok's business practices.

When TikTok failed to provide the requested information last year, 46 states supported Tennessee's enforcement action in state court. Despite two court orders demanding TikTok produce documents and witnesses for deposition, compliance remains incomplete.

Today, the coalition has filed another amicus brief supporting Tennessee's efforts to enforce compliance. This brief argues that TikTok's failure to preserve evidence and provide information impedes the investigation. It stresses that without a court resolution, companies may feel encouraged to destroy evidence, hindering states' abilities to protect their residents.

In addition to the amicus filing, more than a dozen states have initiated lawsuits against TikTok today. While litigation proceeds, states joining the amicus brief will continue investigating TikTok’s conduct and potential consumer protection violations.

These actions reflect coordinated efforts by the multistate coalition to hold TikTok accountable for its impact on youth mental health.

Attorneys general from Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island South Dakota Virginia and Wyoming also joined the amicus brief.