Iowa sues TikTok, wants only Iowans aged 17 and more to use the app

Are you under 17 and living in Iowa? Do you like TikTok? That’s an odd question to ask a 17-year-old. Soon, you might not be able to use it, so… carpe diem.

The state of Iowa is suing TikTok over claims that the app is not suited for kids of age 12+, but instead, it should be rated as 17+ (via The Verge).

The problem is the alleged presence of sexual content, drugs, alcohol, profanity, and other inappropriate material in the app that’s available for kids. The Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed the lawsuit and claimed TikTok is making this kind of content “easily accessible” to young users and the “12+” age rating on the Apple App Store is “inaccurate”.

The state of Iowa claims that if “correctly” rated, the content on the wildly popular app would (and should) receive a 17-plus label. The lawsuit is not OK with TikTok’s “T” for “Teen” ratings in the Google Play Store and Microsoft Store.

“TikTok has kept parents in the dark,” Attorney General Bird said in a statement. “It’s time we shine a light on TikTok for exposing young children to graphic materials such as sexual content, self-harm, illegal drug use, and worse. TikTok has sneaked past parental blocks by misrepresenting the severity of its content.”

An investigation done by the state found that users as young as 13 years old can “readily find” recipes for alcoholic drinks, “advice and encouragement” about using marijuana, music with profane lyrics, and “videos promoting eating disorders, suicide, and self-harm.” Additionally, the lawsuit claims TikTok’s Restricted Mode, which is supposed to limit content “that may not be appropriate for all audiences,” doesn’t work when enabled.