TikTok gets sued by seven families after several teen suicides

TikTok is in troubled waters once again as seven families in France have sued it after a fatal accident. After experiencing the unthinkable, these families are suing the popular social media platform. These grieving families have accused the platform of contributing to the suicides of their teenage children through harmful content. The platform is being accused of exposing adolescent children to harmful content, which led to two of them taking their own lives at the age of 15.

Seven families in France have sued TikTok for exposing their children to harmful content

According to the French media, the lawsuit alleges TikTok’s algorithm exposed the seven teenagers to harmful content. The harmful content is said to include videos promoting suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders. The lawyer in the lawsuit, Laure Boutron Marmion, has revealed this information to broadcaster Franceinfo. All seven families have jointly sued TikTok in the Créteil judicial court in France.

“The parents want TikTok’s legal liability to be recognized in court”, the lawyer said, adding: “This is a commercial company offering a product to consumers who are, in addition, minors. They must, therefore, answer for the product’s shortcomings”.

It is the first collective lawsuit of this nature against TikTok in Europe

Notably, this is the first collective lawsuit of this nature against the social media platform in Europe. The seven families have united through the Algos Victima collective. It is a center for legal and judicial support for victims and their families. It especially focuses on holding social networking platforms accountable. The case includes substantial documentation and concrete evidence, which supports each family’s story. The new case builds on an earlier complaint filed in 2023. This one was filed by the parents of Marie, one of the teenagers who took her own life.

It’s worth mentioning that TikTok is already facing lawsuits by 14 states in the US, which are accusing it of harming children. This case was filed by attorneys generals of these states in early October. Furthermore, TikTok was recently sued in Brazil for failing to adequately protect Children. Notably, Apple has also urged the platform to revise its age recommendations earlier this year.