A TikTok logo on a smartphone on Jan. 6, 2020. Dado Ruvic/Reuters
Social media platform TikTok has lost its bid to dismiss New Hampshire’s lawsuit alleging that it designed addictive features that harm teens’ mental health.
New Hampshire Superior Court Justice John Kissinger allowed the company to avoid part of the state’s lawsuit that alleged it misrepresented its geographic origin. However, Kissinger rejected on July 11 several other arguments, including TikTok’s claim that the First Amendment shielded it from some of the state’s claims. The judge also rejected the idea that TikTok enjoyed immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally protects internet companies in publishing third-party content.
