TikTok sued for allegedly promoting self-harm and suicide content

French families were fed up with watching videos containing content associated with self-harm, eating disorders and suicide.

A group of French families presented a civil action against TikTokclaiming that the platform’s algorithm promotes contents associated with self-harm, eating disorders and suicideputting vulnerable young people at risk.

Represented by the organization Algos Victima, these families argue that the lack of moderation The misuse of content by TikTok endangers its users, especially children and teenagers.

The lawsuit includes seven families, two of which lost tragically teenage daughters by suicidedescribes the .

In one case, the family of 15-year-old Marie alleges that TikTok’s algorithm repeatedly exposed her to harmful content linked to bullying and self-harm, worsening her mental health issues.

After Marie’s death, her family filed criminal complaints against TikTok, accusing the platform of “incitement to suicide”, “lack of assistance to a person in danger” and “promotion of self-harm”.

Algos Victima lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion referred to a similar case in the UK where a coroner associated with suicide from a young woman to prolonged exposure to self-harm content on social media.

The French case now seeks hold responsible or TikTok by challenging its moderation practices and the broader business model that underpins its recommendations algorithm.

This legal action comes at a time of increasing scrutiny international social networks.

In the US, debates surrounding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which protects platforms from liability for user-generated content, have intensified.

Some U.S. lawmakers advocate reforms, while leaders like President Emmanuel Macron in France call for more transparency and regulation of algorithms.

TikTok, which has 21 million users in Francerefused to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings, stating that the platform prohibits content that promotes self-harm.