TikTok Addiction Lawsuit

What Is the TikTok Lawsuit in 2025?

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world, drawing in millions of children and adolescents. In the U.S., 63% of teenagers say they use TikTok, with nearly 1 in 5 reporting that they visit the app "almost constantly."

Known for viral trends and short videos, TikTok has been accused of encouraging compulsive use. Their parent company ByteDance is now facing lawsuits alleging the app maximizes engagement without protecting young users.

TikTok addiction lawsuits claim that the app:

• Uses algorithms designed to keep users engaged and unable to log off
• Exposes minors to harmful, graphic, or unsafe content without effective safeguards
• May increase the risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, and even suicide among young users
• Places corporate profit above the safety and well-being of their most vulnerable audience members

"TikTok has one of the most advanced algorithm systems and is the most addictive as compared to other social media platforms."
– Frontiers in Psychology

By filing a TikTok addiction lawsuit, families may be able to access compensation for medical treatment, counseling, and other expenses, while also demanding meaningful change from one of the world’s most powerful tech companies.

At Sokolove Law, we know the immense toll that TikTok addiction can take on families. With over $10.1 Billion total secured for our clients, we’re here to help you pursue justice and hold TikTok accountable.

Who Can File a TikTok Lawsuit for Mental Health?

TikTok lawsuits for mental health are often brought on behalf of minors, since children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to the app’s addictive features and harmful content.

You may be able to file a TikTok addiction lawsuit if you or your child:

• May be addicted to using TikTok or other social media platforms
• Suffered physical or psychological harm as a result of the addiction
• Was under the age of 18 when the addiction began

TikTok’s algorithm often pushes content that can worsen feelings of low self-worth, isolation, or anxiety, especially for children and teens who are still developing their sense of identity and confidence.

There’s a limited window to file a TikTok addiction lawsuit due to laws known as statutes of limitations, which vary by state. Reaching out to a lawyer right away can help ensure your family doesn’t lose the chance to pursue justice and compensation.

TikTok Addiction Symptoms

As a parent, it can be alarming to see how much time your child spends on social media — and for good reason.

For many children and adolescents, scrolling TikTok becomes more than just a hobby. Compulsive use of the app may affect their mental health, schoolwork, and relationships.

Warning signs of TikTok addiction may include:

• Changes in sleep patterns, such as staying up to keep scrolling
• Declining grades or loss of interest in school, sports, or hobbies
• Irritability, anxiety, or restlessness when not using the app
• Obsessive focus on likes, views, or followers
• Social withdrawal, preferring TikTok over time with family or friends
• Spending hours daily on TikTok, often late into the night
• Worsening mental health, including depression, eating disorders, or suicidal thoughts

Kids and teens are particularly vulnerable to TikTok’s addictive design because their brains and coping skills are still developing. Constant exposure to curated videos and algorithm-driven content can intensify harmful patterns of use and put their mental health at risk.

“If I saw one or two videos [on anorexia], it wouldn’t have made a difference. But when it was all that I was seeing, that’s when it became obsessive.”
– Caroline Koziol, TikTok Addiction Victim

TikTok Lawsuit Update 2025

Hundreds of families have already taken legal action against TikTok's parent company ByteDance and other social media platforms, alleging that the apps were designed to be addictive and can cause emotional harm to young users.

Many of these claims are being combined into a type of TikTok class action lawsuit called multidistrict litigation (MDL). This process streamlines the litigation, lets families pool evidence and resources, and can make it easier to hold social media companies accountable.

About the TikTok addiction lawsuit:

• Case name: In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation (MDL-3047)
• Number of claims: At least 2,053 as of October 2025
• Plaintiffs: Individual victims, their families, states, and school districts
• Defendants: ByteDance, Google, Meta Platforms (Instagram & Facebook), Snap Inc., and others
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• Judge: Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers

TikTok social media addiction lawsuits allege ByteDance intentionally designed the app to be addictive, disregarding the harmful effects on the mental health of countless children and teens. Learn about the latest TikTok lawsuit updates and what they could mean for your case.

TikTok Accused of Promoting Influencer with Anorexia

Attorneys are seeking more information about TikTok's relationship with Eugenia Cooney, an influencer with anorexia who has over 2.8 million followers.

Cooney has faced criticism for allegedly encouraging eating disorders and unhealthy body images to her followers. Despite this, TikTok promoted her at branded events and hired her as a paid influencer, according to reports.

TikTok has pushed back against requests for more information on these arrangements, arguing that the window for fact discovery has closed and they are no longer required to hand over additional documents.

California Court Backs Law Targeting Addictive TikTok Feeds

In September 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals mostly upheld California’s Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, which limits minors’ exposure to addictive algorithms on TikTok and other platforms.

The decision allows most provisions of the law to move forward, including a requirement that social media companies provide a private mode for minors to prevent unwanted contact from strangers. However, a section that would have hidden “like” and share counts was ruled unconstitutional.

Passed in 2024, the California law was created to reduce the harmful effects of endless, algorithm-driven feeds on children and teens. While some claimed the law violated free speech, the 9th Circuit recognized California’s strong interest in protecting young users from the dangers of social media addiction.

Minnesota Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against TikTok

In August 2025, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the company of violating state consumer protection laws. The complaint claims TikTok intentionally designed addictive and exploitative features that prey on children’s vulnerabilities.

TikTok’s design choices, including infinite scroll, push notifications, filters, and livestreaming with virtual currency, have fueled excessive use and exposed minors to the risks of financial and sexual exploitation, according to the lawsuit.

"If you know nothing else about TikTok, you know it’s extremely addicting. My office’s extensive investigation into the company has confirmed that addictiveness is the result of years of intentional decisions that TikTok’s leadership made in the pursuit of profit."
– Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General

Social Media Addiction Victim Files Colorado TikTok Lawsuit

A Colorado victim joined a wave of lawsuits against TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, alleging the apps were purposefully designed to be addictive and harmful to children.

Plaintiff Taylor Little says their social media addiction began at age 12, leading to years of depression, suicide attempts, and exposure to disturbing content online. The first notification they ever clicked on took them to a graphic self-harm page that showed cuts and wounds.

"As an 11-year-old, I clicked on a page and was shown that with no warning. No, I didn't look for it. I didn't ask for it. I can still see it. I'm 21 years old, I can still see it."
– Taylor Little, TikTok Addiction Victim

Taylor also said they struggled with content related to eating disorders and body image. Once outgoing and into dance, theatre, and sports, they reportedly suffered severe withdrawal symptoms when their phone was taken away.

By filing this lawsuit, Taylor hopes to hold TikTok and other social media companies accountable for prioritizing profit over children’s well-being. They join hundreds of others across the country, as victims and families seek justice and push for safer online environments.

How to File a Lawsuit Against TikTok in 2025

At Sokolove Law, we know how harmful TikTok addiction can be for children and adolescents, from disrupting school and family life to contributing to psychological and emotional harm. These cases can feel daunting, but you don’t have to take on a tech giant by yourself.

Our TikTok addiction lawyers can:

• Provide a free case review to determine if you may be able to take legal action
• Collect evidence like medical records, company documents, and expert testimony to build your case
• File your TikTok addiction lawsuit against ByteDance before any legal deadlines
• Negotiate a TikTok lawsuit settlement that provides compensation as fast as possible
• Represent you in court and fight for compensation from a trial verdict if a settlement isn't reached

We work to make the process as easy and stress-free as possible, handling the legal work while you focus on caring for your child and getting them the help they need.

Taking legal action can be the first step toward healing. For more than 45 years, Sokolove Law has stood up to corporations that put profits before people — and we’re ready to do the same for your family.

TikTok Settlements & Verdicts

TikTok addiction lawsuits give families a way to seek justice and hold the company accountable for the harm caused by their platform. Since this litigation is still in the early stages, there have not yet been any public TikTok settlement payouts.

Families pursuing a TikTok lawsuit may be able to recover compensation from:

• TikTok lawsuit settlements: Both sides agree to resolve the lawsuit for a certain amount of money without going to trial.
• Trial verdicts: If a settlement isn’t reached, your case could move forward in court, where a judge or jury would decide the outcome through a verdict.

Compensation from a TikTok lawsuit could help cover medical care, therapy, and other support services, giving children and families resources for recovery, stability, and a healthier future.

TikTok Addiction Statistics

TikTok has quickly become one of the most widely used social media platforms among children and adolescents. However, its popularity has raised concerns about overuse and mental health risks.

Understanding the numbers behind TikTok use can help parents and families recognize just how significant the issue has become.

Find out about statistics on TikTok addiction:

• 63% of American children aged 13 to 17 report using TikTok, according to the Pew Research Center. For teens aged 15-17, that number increases to 69%.
• Among teens who report using TikTok, 57% say they visit the app daily, and 34% say they visit multiple times each day.
• 66% of girls use the platform compared to 59% of boys, as noted by the research center.
• As for race, 79% of Black teens use TikTok, compared with 74% of Hispanic teens and 54% of white teens.
• TikTok is the most widely used social media app for kids and the one parents are most likely to block, according to The Washington Post.
• Teenagers report spending an average of 1.5 hours on TikTok a day, second only to YouTube, a Gallup poll found.
• TikTok use was tied to an increase in anxiety and depression, particularly in users under 24, the National Library of Medicine reported.
• The researchers found that female college students made up 67.3% of problematic TikTok use cases. Higher addiction scores were also seen in students from lower-income backgrounds and in those who were more prone to stress, anxiety, or negative emotions.
• Higher rates of depression and anxiety were linked to TikTok addiction and greater social media use overall, according to a study by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
• The study noted that younger individuals were more likely to score higher on TikTok addiction scales.

These statistics show how deeply TikTok is embedded in the lives of teens — and how easy it is for use to become excessive or harmful. For some families, the effects go beyond screen time, leading to serious mental health challenges.

Why Is TikTok So Addictive?

TikTok’s design keeps users engaged far longer than most other apps. Their algorithm quickly learns what content captures attention and delivers a personalized feed that feels endless. This creates powerful habits, especially for young users.

Features that drive TikTok’s addictive nature include:

• Algorithmic reinforcement: The app continually refines your feed, showing more of what you engage with.
• Fear of missing out (FOMO): Trends, challenges, and viral content move quickly, making users feel pressured to stay online, so they don’t fall behind.
• Infinite scroll: Videos play one after another with no natural stopping point.
• Likes and comments: Constant feedback fuels anticipation and reward-seeking behavior.
• Push notifications: Alerts draw users back in, even when they’re offline.
• Short, fast-paced clips: Quick videos encourage binge-watching and “just one more.”

Together, these features can make TikTok difficult to put down. For children and adolescents, the effects on developing brains can increase risks of depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.

In August 2025, a federal judge unsealed video clips from TikTok’s internal meetings that had been submitted as evidence in an ongoing lawsuit. The footage shows employees raising concerns about whether the platform is safe for teens.

“Unfortunately, some of the stuff that people find interesting are not always the most healthy. We do, in a way, encourage some of this content being put up just because of the way the platform is designed. And sometimes I worry about that.”
– Former TikTok Employee

Get Help from a TikTok Lawyer

TikTok addiction has harmed countless children and teens nationwide. Research and lawsuits show the app was built to keep young users engaged, despite growing evidence of the toll on their mental health.

At Sokolove Law, we’re committed to helping families hold TikTok accountable. If you qualify, our legal team can guide you through every step of the process, so you can focus on your child’s healing and well-being.

Find out why families trust Sokolove Law:

• More than 45 years of taking on powerful companies
• Nationwide support, helping families in all 50 states
• No upfront costs — we only get paid if you do
• Over $10.1 Billion total secured for clients

Call (800) 995-1212 right now or fill out our form to see if we may be able to help your family pursue justice

TikTok Addict Lawsuit FAQs