Iowa Court Denies TikTok Bid to Dismiss Added Claims in State Lawsuit Over Kids and Data
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced in Des Moines on November 12 that an Iowa District Court has denied TikTok's request to dismiss new claims added to the state's lawsuit, an important win for the state in its case against the social media giant.
Bird said she sued TikTok in January 2024 for deceiving Iowans, particularly parents, by lying about children's widespread access to inappropriate content on the app. In April 2026, she amended the lawsuit to assert that TikTok knowingly designed its app to be addictive to children and teens and misled users about the Chinese government's ability to access their personal data.
Bird said she sued TikTok because its addictive algorithm hurts kids and because it hid the truth about the Chinese Communist government's access to Iowans' data, and that as a mom and a prosecutor she will never stop fighting Big Tech companies and holding them accountable.
Iowa is seeking a permanent injunction under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act to force TikTok to stop its deceptive, misleading, false and unfair statements and conduct, with a special focus on misleading conduct relating to kids and its connection to the Chinese Communist Party. The state is also seeking civil penalties.
(Source: Iowa Attorney General)
Source: Iowa Attorney General
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：爱荷华州议会大厦，位于 Des Moines。照片经 Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0。 / Photo: Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. Via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
