Four British families are suing TikTok over the alleged wrongful deaths of their children, accusing the tech giant of lacking "compassion". The parents explained their decision to take legal action during an interview for BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, expressing their pursuit of the truth and accountability.
TikTok maintains a policy against dangerous content and challenges, including the specific challenge associated with the children's deaths. The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware by the US-based Social Media Victims Law Center on behalf of the parents.
The parents highlighted TikTok's alleged breach of its own rules and the platform's failure to prevent harmful content. They emphasized the company's lack of compassion and urged for transparency and cooperation in accessing relevant data.
Expressing skepticism towards the UK government's online child protection efforts, one parent questioned the effectiveness of the upcoming Online Safety Act. The families' lawsuit contends that the tragic deaths resulted from TikTok's intentional design decisions to foster addiction and maximize user engagement.
TikTok states that it blocks searches related to the contested challenge, enforces safety measures, and removes rule-breaking content proactively. The company asserts its compliance with data protection laws and mentions discussions with one of the bereaved parents.