Louisiana attorney general takes legal battle against TikTok to court

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A court hearing was held at the 21st District Courthouse as the state of Louisiana pushes its legal battle against TikTok.

Attorney General Liz Murrill argued that the lawsuit should proceed, accusing the popular app of exploiting young users by promoting addictive, harmful content.

At the heart of the state’s case is the claim that TikTok has made its app available to children ages 12 and older while failing to properly warn about its dangers. Murrill emphasized that the app targets youth for profit, regardless of the content’s appropriateness for minors.

“We are focusing on the representations TikTok has made in offering its app to the public and suggesting it’s suitable for users as young as 12 years old,” Murrill told the court. “Today, the focus is on whether the lawsuit can move forward.”

The core issue before the court is whether Louisiana can sue TikTok in Livingston Parish and win the case. Murrill pointed out that there are other venues, noting the company’s ties to Delaware and California. However, she emphasized that TikTok has extensive contacts with Louisiana, including user data collection and targeted content.

While TikTok’s legal team declined to comment in court, their defense focused on jurisdiction, arguing the state has not shown enough evidence to prove its case in Louisiana. TikTok representatives countered that and stated the app operates nationwide and that the company only learns a user’s location after they agree to its terms.

The judge has given both parties ten days to review the arguments before deciding on the next steps in the case.

Latest News