This is a press release from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Chris Carr has joined 45 attorneys general in asking a state court to compel TikTok to produce information that was previously requested as part of an ongoing investigation into whether the company violated consumer protection laws in Georgia and other states.
“When it comes to social media, we must do all we can to protect our children from content that could prove harmful to their physical or mental health,” said Carr. “We know this is a growing concern for Georgia families, and we are committed to conducting a thorough review of all information so we can ensure the rule of law is upheld and our kids are kept safe.”
In March 2022, Carr joined a nationwide investigation into TikTok for providing and promoting its social media platform to children and young adults despite the association between its usage and physical and mental health harms. As part of this investigation, the states are seeking to review TikTok’s internal communications.
Despite the request for these communications falling squarely within the investigative authority of the state attorneys general, this latest brief asserts that TikTok has failed to preserve or produce the required documents since March 2022. For example, TikTok recently confirmed that the company chose not to disable a feature that allows employees to designate internal messages on Lark – TikTok’s internal communications platform – for deletion within seven days or less. For those internal Lark messages that have been produced, the company has provided them in a format that is difficult to use and navigate.
The amicus brief was filed in support of the Tennessee Attorney General’s Motion for an Order Compelling Compliance with the Request for Information.
In addition to Carr, the following attorneys general also joined in filing the brief: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection.
Find a copy of the brief below.
