Unveiled TikTok court documents reveal that the introduced time restriction feature failed to substantially decrease teenage app usage – NPR (paraphrased)
The research, acquired by Kentucky Public Radio (KPR) and released in alignment with NPR, unveils TikTok administrators "openly discussing multiple risks for minors" on the video-sharing platform, as reported on Friday. The risks involve poorly functioning time management tools designed to decrease time spent on the application.
A significant concern is the influence of TikTok on teenagers who spend numerous hours scrolling through the app, which might potentially negatively impact their psychological well-being. In response to mounting criticism regarding the app's impact on vulnerable users, TikTok introduced time management tools for users below the age of 18. For instance, once the 60-minute limit is reached, users are prompted to input a code to continue using the app, necessitating a conscious decision to extend their time.
According to internal documents obtained by NPR and KPR, TikTok executives assessed the tool's effectiveness primarily based on its capability to enhance "public trust in the TikTok platform through media coverage," rather than its success in reducing time spent on the app.
In the gathered documents, a TikTok project manager stated that their objective was not to decrease time spent on the app, while another employee echoed that priority was on "contributing to DAU [daily active users] and retaining users."
The tool, it was found, led to a decline of only 1.5 minutes in daily usage, and TikTok did not make any attempts to rectify the issue, as stated by the 14 attorneys general in a lawsuit filed this week.
TikTok has also released videos promoting breaks for users. However, one executive from the documents remarked that these videos were "helpful as a good talking point" with legislators but not particularly effective.
TikTok had yet to respond to CNN's request for comment.
On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general from various states filed lawsuits against TikTok, alleging that the platform has "hooked" young people and harmed their mental health.
The lawsuits critique various aspects of the TikTok platform, such as its continuous feed of content, TikTok "challenge" videos that occasionally urge users to participate in risky actions, and late-night push notifications that the attorneys general argue can interfere with children's sleep.
Friday's report from NPR and KPR was released following an accidental filing of unredacted versions of the legal complaint against TikTok by the Kentucky Attorney General's office. A state judge subsequently sealed the complaint "to ensure that any settlement documents and related information, confidential commercial and trade secret information, and other protected information was not inadvertently disclosed," according to NPR.
"We strongly disagree with these allegations, several of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading," TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek stated in a prior statement. "We take pride in, and remain fully dedicated to, the work we've done to safeguard teens. We implement robust safeguards, proactively remove suspected underage users, and have voluntarily incorporated safety features."
CNN's Clare Duffy contributed to this report.
Despite the concerns about TikTok's impact on young users and their mental health, the platform continues to prioritize increasing daily active users and retaining users, as revealed in the internal documents. Furthermore, the business side of TikTok values positive media coverage and public trust over effectively reducing time spent on the app.
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