TikTok accused of testing nonfunctional safety features on users

A newly unsealed lawsuit from the New York Attorney General alleges that TikTok conducted undisclosed experiments involving tens of thousands of users, including children and teenagers, by providing them with nonfunctional versions of safety features.

The allegations center on a tool called ‘Algo Refresh,’ which is marketed as a way for users to reset their personalized video recommendations to avoid unwanted or harmful content. According to the amended complaint, TikTok conducted three experiments in 2023 involving over 63,000 placements where users received ‘ghost’ or placebo versions of the tool. These users believed they had successfully reset their feeds, while the company allegedly used the data to measure how such safety features impacted user engagement and advertising revenue.

The lawsuit further claims that in an early 2022 experiment, TikTok withheld an algorithmic protection designed to interrupt repetitive exposure to distressing content from approximately 10 percent of U.S. users, affecting an estimated 15 million people. The filing cites a case involving a 16-year-old who died by suicide after being repeatedly shown content related to self-harm and depression, noting that an internal review linked his exposure to the company’s decision to withhold the protection.