SWFL.io - Local NewsCarson Zorn
•6/16/2026
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against popular social media app TikTok, alleging that the app violated Florida law by actively targeting minors while hiding the dangers of the app from parents.According to a news release from Uthmeier's office, the complaint alleges that TikTok violates House Bill 3, which is Florida's online child protection law. Uthmeier accuses TikTok of letting children under 14 years old create accounts and letting 15 and 16-year-olds create accounts without parental consent.This would be a violation of HB 3, the lawsuit says, which bans children under the age of 14 from social media platforms entirely and requires parental consent for 15 and 16-year-olds to create accounts.Uthmeier also accuses TikTok of violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by deceiving parents about the safety of the app and the appropriateness of the content of the app for children.The release said that TikTok advertises itself on the app store as being suitable for children 13 years and older, and characterizes mature themes such as sex content, drug content, profanity, self-harm, and eating disorders as "mild" and "infrequent," a claim Uthmeier says is blatantly false.Uthmeier added that TikTok's business model is predatory and is built to prey upon addictive behaviors, which children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable to.“TikTok’s success hinges on its ability to addict children and teenagers to the platform,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “TikTok knowingly deceives parents and allows children to be exposed to harmful and inappropriate content in direct violation of Florida law. We have zero tolerance for companies that prioritize profit over children’s safety. TikTok should expect to be held accountable.”DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.