Hawaii's Attorney General announced a lawsuit against ByteDance Inc., the parent company of TikTok, on December 3, 2025 [ag.hawaii.gov]. The lawsuit alleges that TikTok knowingly created an addictive platform that harms its users, especially children, while simultaneously misleading people regarding the inherent risks. Governor Josh Green emphasized the priority of protecting the mental health and well-being of the youth, stating that the platform's design preys on their vulnerabilities [bigislandnow.com].
The lawsuit argues that TikTok's business model is built on encouraging compulsive use, retaining users for extended periods to generate more advertising revenue and gather personal data. The state's complaint includes accusations of employing "coercive design tactics" that manipulate users' neurobiology, mirroring techniques used in the gambling industry. These methods, the suit continues, are especially harmful to children who are known to have limited self-regulation abilities on their screentime. The Attorney General, Anne Lopez, expressed deep concern for the community's safety and well-being, stating that the action is meant to protect families and ensure necessary reforms to prevent exploitation.
The state's legal action seeks to halt TikTok’s deceptive methods, enforce important protections for children, and guarantee fair disclosure of the risks associated with the platform. This lawsuit reflects a broader pattern of legal challenges against social media giants, driven by concerns over mental health and data privacy. Several states have filed similar lawsuits [pbs.org], and at the federal level, TikTok faces the potential of a ban if its parent company does not divest the platform. Hawaii's legal action follows a trend of increasing scrutiny of social media's impact on children and the legal recourse parents and officials are prepared to take to protect the youth.
