TikTok gave teens, children placebo safety feature in experiment, New York alleges

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against TikTok alleging that the company conducted "ghost" or placebo experiments on thousands of users, including teens and children, during its testing process. According to the claims, users believed they had activated safety features like "Algo Refresh," designed to reset recommendations for users seeking to escape unwanted or potentially harmful content. However, their feeds did not change, unlike users who got the fully functional version of the tool.

The lawsuit alleges that TikTok intentionally prevented certain groups of users from accessing these safety tools, despite assuring users that safety was a top priority and that the platform was appropriate for children and teens. The company reportedly conducted these placebo tests repeatedly on thousands of users in 2023, comparing those who did not receive the feature with those who did, to study the impact on user engagement and ad revenue.

Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that TikTok misled consumers about the functionality of the "Algo Refresh" feature, stating it would reset the algorithm that recommended videos to them when it was only a temporary change. These tests followed previous experiments where TikTok randomly selected users and turned off safety features that limited their exposure to harmful content.

The lawsuit states that a teen boy in New York who participated in the test committed suicide after being exposed to content about self-harm and suicide.

A TikTok spokesperson denied the allegations, stating that the company has broadly denied New York's claims in court filings and has prioritized keeping young users safe. In September, TikTok settled a first state lawsuit, agreeing to pay Alabama up to $300 million and modify its platform's function for teens in the state.