Hundreds of families today filed a class-action lawsuit with the Paris Prosecutor's Office against the social network TikTok for alleged "abuse of vulnerability," broadcaster Franceinfo reported.
The families, represented by lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion, accuse the platform of exploiting the vulnerability of minors, in some cases contributing to suicide and serious mental health disorders.
"We have a machine designed, developed to exploit this vulnerability. TikTok creates mental prisons for teenagers, prisons of anxiety," Boutron-Marmion told Franceinfo.
She compared the effects of TikTok to a “digital crisis.” The lawsuit targets TikTok executives in France and internationally, arguing that the platform is fully aware of how its recommendation algorithm works.
"It's a system of highly personalized recommendations and constant movement that generates strong addiction and exploits the vulnerability of adolescents," she said.
“They know very well the effects of the platform, but they do nothing,” Boutron-Marmion added. The lawyer said the families are seeking to take TikTok to a French criminal court for abuse of vulnerability, in addition to ongoing civil proceedings.
"They don't want to just stop at a simple complaint," she said. Some of the families involved have lost children to suicide, while others report cases of anorexia, depression and suicidal thoughts.
The lawsuit also calls for stricter regulation of social media, including a possible ban on users under 15, an idea currently under discussion in France.
