U.S. Senator Katie Britt has been a fierce critic of social media companies’ attempts to exploit young people for attention and time at the expense of their mental health, she has argued and filed legislation about.
After NPR published a detailed account of TikTok’s harmful practices aimed at boosting the company’s bottom line, Britt released a statement condemning the social media company for its disregard for its users.
The report exposed internal TikTok communications that appear to show the company’s disregard for the app’s harmful effects on teens, despite its own research confirming addiction risks and negative mental health impacts. Documents show TikTok prioritized user retention over safety, fostered addictive behavior and unrealistic beauty standards among young users, and implemented safety features such as break reminders more as public relations strategies than meaningful safety measures.
“There is no doubt that our nation’s growing mental health crisis is inextricably tied to the rise of social media usage by children and teenagers,” said Britt (R-Montgomery).
“However, while our adolescents face these threats that are quite literally at their fingertips, Big Tech companies like TikTok continue to turn a blind eye. The dangers of social media transcend political party – our children deserve better than social media companies who prey on their adolescence. As a Senator, but more importantly, as a parent, the revelations in these internal documents are disgusting. This reporting is further proof Congress must act to protect the well-being of America’s kids because Big Tech prioritizes profits over people.”
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“I won’t stop fighting to protect the next generation and ensure each and every young person in our nation has the opportunity to live their American Dream.”
The NPR article in question reveals redacted portions of a lawsuit filed by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office earlier this month, part of a larger investigation into TikTok by the attorneys general of 14 states. Notably, the lawsuit illustrates TikTok’s own research that in just 35 minutes, a user “is likely to become addicted to the platform,” despite the company’s awareness that its features can lead to “a slew of negative mental health effects like loss of analytical skills, memory formation, contextual thinking, conversational depth, empathy, and increased anxiety.”
According to more internal company research, 95% of all smartphone users under the age of 17 use TikTok at least once a month.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
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