TikTok accused of using placebo safety tools in tests on young users

TikTok gave thousands of users, including children and teenagers, non-functional versions of safety features in experiments designed to measure their effect on app usage and advertising revenue, according to allegations in a newly unsealed New York lawsuit.

TikTok gave thousands of users, including children and teenagers, non-functional versions of safety features in experiments designed to measure their effect on app usage and advertising revenue, according to allegations in a newly unsealed New York lawsuit.

In the so-called “ghost” or “placebo” experiments, TikTok selected users who tried to activate safety features such as “Algo Refresh,” a tool designed to reset video recommendations for people seeking to avoid unwanted or potentially harmful content. The lawsuit alleges that some users believed they had activated the feature, but their feeds remained unchanged.

The allegations were contained in an amended complaint filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The lawsuit is one of more than two dozen state cases accusing TikTok of harming young users and misleading the public about its safety practices.

The lawsuit also alleges that TikTok conducted separate tests in which it randomly disabled safety features that limited users’ exposure to harmful content.

The lawsuit claims TikTok publicly presents safety as a priority and says its platform is appropriate for children and teenagers, while preventing some users from accessing certain safety tools.

“We continuously make improvements to our platform which means that, like most companies, we regularly test new products and features to validate the experience and understand how they work in the real world,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement.

TikTok has broadly denied New York’s allegations in court filings and said that protecting young users is a priority. The company has also said the allegations mischaracterize how some of its features work.

In September, TikTok settled a separate lawsuit brought by Alabama, agreeing to pay up to $300 million and make changes to its platform for teenagers in the state.