VA Attorney General Miyares Joins Investigation Of TikTok's Effect On Children

RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a nationwide investigation into social media platform TikTok, claiming that the popular app is bringing physical and mental health harm to users, especially young people.

Miyares’ office announced that the state attorney general is joining prosecutors from eight other states in the claim that TikTok continues to promote the use of the video-driven platform to children and young adults despite its use being associated with questions of how TikTok is affecting users' well-being.

Attorneys general from around the United States are specifically looking into claims whether the company knew that Tik Tok engaged in violation of state consumer protection laws that put the public at risk, Miyares’ office said in a news release on Wednesday.

“Virginia has officially joined a bipartisan, nationwide investigation into TikTok’s platform and its effect on the mental and physical health of kids and young people,” Miyares said in a statement. “Our children are in the midst of a mental health crisis, and the negative effects of social media platforms like TikTok on our youth have raised concerns for some time.”

In December, law enforcement agencies and school districts across the country were monitoring reports of a TikTok challenge that encouraged students to threaten gun violence at their schools on Friday, Dec. 17. No acts of violence were reported by law enforcement agencies.

SEE ALSO: Rumored School Violence TikTok Trend Monitored In Arlington

Earlier in 2021, a TikTok trend called "devious licks," also known as "diabolical licks," disrupted schools in Virginia and across the country. The TikTok challenge saw students steal, vandalize, or destroy school property and discuss the act on the social media app.

At North Stafford High School in Stafford County, schools administrators reported experiencing an increase in theft, vandalism, and destruction of property in September due to the devious licks trend on TikTok.

The new investigation will focus on the techniques used by TikTok to boost young user engagement, including increasing the duration of time spent on the platform and frequency of engagement with the platform.

According to reports, TikTok has 1 billion reported monthly users.

Last May, a coalition of 44 state attorneys general urged Facebook to abandon its plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under 13. In November, Miyares and attorneys general from across the country announced their investigation into Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook, for providing and promoting its social media platform Instagram to kids, Miyares’ office said.

Leading the investigation into TikTok are Republican and Democratic attorneys general officials from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont. They are joined by Miyares and other attorneys general.

RELATED: 'Devious Licks' TikTok Trend Disrupts North Stafford High School