TikTok’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the platform employs “addictive design features” targeting children and teenagers has been rejected by a New Hampshire Superior Court judge,  marking another legal challenge for the social media company as it faces an uncertain future in the United States.

Judge John Kissinger Jr. ruled that the state’s allegations were valid and specific enough to proceed, writing that the civil claims were “based on the App’s alleged defective and dangerous features” rather than content displayed in the app.

New Hampshire’s lawsuit, led by state Attorney General John Formella, accused TikTok of implementing design features intentionally created to be addictive, with the aim of keeping young users engaged longer. This increased engagement exposes children to more advertisements and encourages purchases through TikTok Shop, the platform’s e-commerce feature.

The ruling represents a shift in regulatory strategy, with attorneys general increasingly targeting design elements and safety policies rather than user-generated content. Similar approaches have been employed against Meta, Snapchat, and Discord, with lawsuits focusing on features that allegedly harm children’s mental health or create environments where minors can be targeted.

TikTok disputes the characterization, with a spokesperson calling the suit’s claims “outdated and cherry-picked.” The company maintains it provides “robust safety protections and screen time limits for teen accounts enabled by default, Family Pairing tools for parents to supervise their teens, strict livestreaming requirements, and proactive ongoing enforcement” of community guidelines.

Broader Legal Challenges

The New Hampshire case adds to TikTok’s mounting legal troubles. In October 2024, a coalition of 14 state attorneys general filed lawsuits against the platform for allegedly damaging young users’ mental health and collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent. Additionally, the Justice Department sued TikTok in August over allegations of “unlawfully” collecting children’s data and impeding parental control over accounts.

Recently unsealed internal documents in a separate Utah lawsuit revealed that TikTok was allegedly aware of the systematic exploitation of minors on its livestreaming feature. The documents detail internal investigations that found hundreds of thousands of users aged 13 to 15 had circumvented TikTok Live’s minimum age restrictions, with some subsequently being “groomed” to perform sexual acts in exchange for virtual gifts.

Ownership in Transition

TikTok’s legal battles continue amid uncertainty over its U.S. operations. A consortium including Oracle Corp, Blackstone Inc, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has been identified as the prospective buyer for TikTok’s American business, according to Bloomberg.

The potential agreement would grant new outside investors a 50% stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations, with ByteDance’s existing American investors owning approximately 30% and ByteDance retaining just under 20%.

President Donald Trump has granted ByteDance a third extension until September 17 to complete the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations, which faces a potential nationwide ban if not divested. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that discussions continue “at the highest level” with China, whose approval is also necessary for any deal.

Meanwhile, TikTok is implementing new safety measures, announcing in December that it would prevent users under 18 from accessing beauty filters that artificially alter facial features, following research that raised concerns about how such effects might impact teens’ self-perception.

Checkout Our Latest Podcast