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TikTok accused of running secret placebo safety tests on minors
Newly unsealed court documents from a lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General allege that TikTok conducted secret placebo experiments on thousands of users, including children and teenagers. The allegations focus on a safety tool called Algo Refresh, which is designed to allow users to reset their recommendation algorithms to avoid unwanted or harmful content.
According to the lawsuit, TikTok provided a non-functional version of this tool to a placebo group while the functional version was given to others. The company allegedly used these tests to compare user engagement metrics and advertising revenue between the two groups. Internal communications suggest a TikTok product manager warned that such placebo testing conflicted with the feature's purpose of providing algorithmic transparency and control.
The lawsuit further claims that TikTok conducted other experiments where safety features were intentionally disabled for certain users. One specific allegation mentions an algorithmic test starting in 2021 that impacted approximately 15 million U.S. users.
TikTok has denied the allegations, stating that the company regularly tests new products and features to validate user experience and understand real-world functionality. The company maintains that keeping young users safe is a top priority.
Entities
ByteDance · Letitia James · New York · New York Attorney General · TikTok
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 9 SOURCES] New York officials allege TikTok conducted placebo experiments where users believed they activated a safety feature that did not actually reset their recommendations. www.compsmag.com · www.cryptopolitan.com · fakti.bg · www.lankanewspapers.com · news.cnyes.com · +4 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] TikTok allegedly compared users receiving the functional Algo Refresh feature against a placebo group to measure time spent on the platform and impact on ad revenue. www.cryptopolitan.com · fakti.bg · news.cnyes.com · olhardigital.com.br · www.20minutos.es
- [● 2 SOURCES] TikTok has denied the allegations, stating that the company regularly tests features to understand how they work in the real world and that user safety is a priority. www.cryptopolitan.com · www.20minutos.es
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit alleges TikTok conducted an algorithmic test starting in 2021 that impacted approximately 15 million U.S. users. triblive.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] A TikTok product manager for Digital Well Being reportedly warned colleagues that placebo testing on Algo Refresh was problematic and misleading. www.cryptopolitan.com · fakti.bg · news.cnyes.com · olhardigital.com.br