What happened
New York has raised new allegations in its 2024 lawsuit against TikTok. According to Reuters, the city's updated filing claims the platform quietly gave thousands of users — including children and teens — 'ghost' versions of its safety features rather than the working ones.
Details of the allegation
The filing says TikTok's 'experiment' effectively blocked some users from accessing features such as an option to reset their algorithm. That kind of feature can help users keep harmful content out of their feed. Reuters notes that users in the experiment believed they had activated the feature.
Why it matters
The allegation raises the question of whether platforms' safety tools actually work as advertised. The lawsuit was unsealed by a judge, and the case is ongoing.
