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Alabama jury set to hear TikTok lawsuit tied to teen mental health claims
The trial is scheduled to run two to three weeks in Montgomery state court, and Alabama’s case is the first in a multi-state push that also includes at least 27 other states and Washington, D.C.
Alabama is set to put TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, on trial as a jury begins hearing the state’s claims that the platform was made addictive for young users and that the company misled consumers about its safety. Insurance Journal reports the case is the first against TikTok to reach trial amid sweeping litigation over social media’s impact on teen wellbeing.
The trial is scheduled to kick off Monday in Montgomery state court and is expected to last two to three weeks, offering a rare window into TikTok operations after the company settled other cases that were selected for trial. Insurance Journal notes that TikTok has tried to keep details of its operations out of public view.
The Alabama lawsuit was filed last year by state Attorney General Steve Marshall, and at least 27 other states and Washington, D.C., have also sued. TikTok says it designed the platform with teen safety as a priority and argues that Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act shields platforms from liability related to user-generated content.
The article also says TikTok’s US operations were transferred this year to an entity led by US investors, which is 20% owned by ByteDance, and that representatives for both sides did not respond to requests for comment about the trial. Insurance Journal adds that Alabama’s complaint alleges TikTok’s conduct violated state law, though the provided text cuts off as those accusations continue.