Attorney General Sean D. Reyes and the Utah Attorney General’s Office are holding social media companies accountable. Here are some of the letters and lawsuits we have joined or led:
2024
November 12
Utah Court Denies TikTok’s Motion to Dismiss in Landmark Children’s Protection Lawsuit
In a significant legal victory for the state of Utah, Third District Court Judge Richard Daynes has denied TikTok’s motion to dismiss Utah’s October 2023 lawsuit aimed at addressing the harmful impact of the platform on children. The lawsuit, brought by the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection and represented by the Utah Attorney General’s Office (AGO), accuses TikTok of luring young users into addictive behaviors and misleading them about the app’s safety features.
Attorney General Sean Reyes expressed his determination to protect Utah’s youth, stating, “We are thrilled with the court’s ruling. Today’s decision is a crucial step forward in our battle against the harmful practices of TikTok. We refuse to let a social media giant evade responsibility for its role in fostering addiction and exposing our children to multifarious threats. This case is all about safeguarding our kids and holding TikTok accountable for its actions.”
October 8
Today, over a dozen states are initiating their own lawsuits in state courts, joining Utah in its formidable legal challenges against TikTok, Inc. This wave of independent legal challenges from other states underscores the escalating concerns regarding the social media behemoth’s harmful practices aimed at children and minors across the United States.
“Today is a win for children and families in America as multiple states join Utah in the fight against TikTok’s aggressive actions that endanger and exploit minors for financial gain,” said Attorney General Sean D. Reyes.
“Within the last year since filing our initial lawsuit, TikTok has continually shown its blatant disregard for child safety. We are grateful the court ordered TikTok to comply with our subpoenas leading to evidence that the social media giant built a revenue stream from the exploitation of minors on its platform. Utah applauds over a dozen states for filing suits in their respective courts. We look forward to pursuing a unified mission to hold TikTok accountable until it prioritizes our youth over market share or profit margins.”
February 16
AGO Challenges Social Media Censorship
Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in Murthy v. Missouri. The brief, led by the State of Montana, supports a challenge to the federal government’s recent censoring of privately held opinions on online platforms.
February 12
AG Reyes Supports Effort to Prevent Social Media Censorship
Attorney General Sean D. Reyes joined an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in Moody v. NetChoice. The filing, which was led by the States of Missouri and Ohio, supports laws passed in Florida and Texas that help prevent censorship by social media platforms.
January 25
The Full Case Against TikTok: Utah Files Unredacted Lawsuit
Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes invites Utahns with concerns about social media harms to inspect the unredacted lawsuit against TikTok, which the Attorney General’s Office has filed on behalf of the State of Utah’s Division of Consumer Protection. The details of the complaint shine the light of transparency on the issues and concerns of the app for the public to see, and give parents the opportunity to understand the extent to which the State believes TikTok has targeted our children.
2023
December 21
AG Reyes on Fox News: Taking On TikTok; Defending the Mental Health of Our Youth
Today, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes addressed the state’s lawsuit against TikTok on Fox News ‘America’s Newsroom’.
March 6
Attorney General Reyes and 46 states requested company communications from TikTok for an investigation of TikTok’s potentially unlawful conduct.
January 23
Attorney General Reyes Co-hosts Social Media News Conference with Governor Cox:
Attorney General Reyes announced his intent to legally take action against social media companies and hold them accountable for protecting youth.
2022
March 31
AG Reyes Urges Tiktok, Snapchat to Give Parents More Control:
Attorney General Reyes urged TikTok and Snapchat to collaborate with parental control apps and allow parents to monitor their child’s content on these platforms.
December 13
AG Reyes Calls on Apple/ Google to Increase Tiktok Age Rating:
Attorney General Reyes signed letters to Apple and Google, demanding they increase the 12+ age rating on TikTok.