TikTok faces Senate inquiry over safety feature experiment

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal have issued a formal demand for answers to TikTok executives regarding a 2022 algorithmic experiment. The inquiry follows reports that the company intentionally disabled a safety feature designed to break up harmful content echo chambers for approximately 15 million American users to serve as a control group.

The senators, who co-authored the Kids Online Safety Act, described the decision to conduct the test as “depraved” and “disgusting.” They alleged the experiment was designed to determine if implementing safety measures would negatively impact the company’s financial bottom line. The investigation highlights a specific case involving a 16-year-old user who was part of the control group and subsequently died by suicide after being fed content related to hopelessness and loneliness.

In a four-page letter addressed to CEO Shou Chew and Adam Presser, the senators requested the names of employees involved, an explanation for why minors were included, and unredacted internal documents. They also demanded a comprehensive list of all previous U.S. algorithmic experiments where safety features were withheld, delayed, or reduced, including the number of users and minors affected. TikTok has been given until September 1 to respond.