Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal have reached out to TikTok CEO Shou Chew, seeking detailed information regarding the safety of minors on the platform. This request comes after a court filing by the Kentucky Attorney General's Office indicated that TikTok executives were aware of potential harm to young users but failed to address these concerns.

In their communication, the Senators expressed concern about TikTok's design choices, stating, "TikTok has knowingly designed their products in a manner that can cause substantial harm to kids—including fostering destructive addiction and amplifying child sexual exploitation." They further criticized the company for allegedly misleading the public about its platform's safety.

The Senators emphasized the importance of federal regulations, noting, "These new disclosures highlight the pervasive and alarming failures of TikTok and other online platforms to protect kids and the pressing need for federal rules to require accountability, safeguards, and transparency, such as those required in the Senate-passed Kids Online Safety Act."

As part of their inquiry, Blackburn and Blumenthal have asked TikTok to provide documents previously shared with various state Attorneys General.