Colorado Attorney General Calls Out TikTok Over Mental Health Threats – CBS Denver

DENVER (CBS4)– The state has made the spiritual well-being of its youngest Coloradans a priority. Children’s Hospital Colorado last year declared a state of emergency for adolescent mental health, a crisis that has worsened during the pandemic. Now Colorado’s Attorney General is tackling a mental health threat at the source — on social media.

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Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a nationwide probe into TikTok, a booming social media app that has captured the attention of millions. Attorneys general in several states are investigating whether the company is violating consumer protection laws.

Weiser says TikTok and its content strategy are putting the mental health of its youngest users at risk.

“Kids are on social media now more than ever. A lot of what they see and a lot of the content they get actually makes them more depressed,” Wieser said. “These companies have algorithms that direct teens to content that is often bad for them and can lead to harmful behavior.”

TikTok has grabbed Colorado headlines more than once for issues it’s causing in local schools. Last year, a social media challenge calling for theft and vandalism made its way to a Loveland high school. In January, another TikTok challenge involving students bringing guns into class put districts on high alert.

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“These companies have a responsibility not to engage people but to ask, ‘Are we acting responsibly? are we fair Where are we hurting people?’” said Wieser.

The investigation will examine the dangers to young users and what TikTok knew about these harms. Wieser says they will explore techniques used to increase youth engagement and increase time spent on the platform.

“One of the concerns of these algorithms is their goal to keep people busy. For young people, that can mean going down a rabbit hole, leading people into deep depression, or contemplating self-harm or eating disorders,” Wieser said.

Through interactions within the app, TikTok is able to provide a personally curated feed of videos that it predicts users will enjoy. Some content includes videos like cooking instructions and adorable animals, but there are millions of posts that show unrealistic beauty and lifestyle standards.

TikTok users Ashlyn and Skyler say it can be toxic to teens, especially young women.

“It’s very easy to see women your age or a little older being processed. Girls might think you should live up to that and look like it,” Ashlyn said. “I can’t imagine being in middle school and seeing that. It takes so much pleasure.”

“It’s definitely addicting. They’ll say, “Okay, the next video will be the last.” Then the video gets funny and you just want to keep watching,” Skyler said.

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Wieser says the goal is to come to a common solution that protects youth. He has already followed other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to target children. Those investigations are still ongoing, but he’s ready to take on TikTok.

“If we have serious concerns about their behavior and say they are behaving unfairly and illegally and we don’t want to change that, we could go to court,” Wieser said.