The state of Utah has filed another lawsuit against social media giant TikTok. This time, the state is alleging the video app “created a virtual strip club” that allowed young people to be sexually exploited in exchange for money that TikTok takes a cut of.
The lawsuit, filed Monday by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, alleges a live-streaming feature called TikTok LIVE would allow adult users to give a digital currency to younger users in exchange for sexual acts. TikTok, the state claims in the lawsuit, would take a commission on every transaction. In Utah, the state claims TikTok has made money from the exploitation of children, though the lawsuit itself redacts how much.
“TikTok has created a virtual strip club allowing minors to be exploited across America by connecting innocent victims to predators in real time. Adding insult to injury, Live facilitates money laundering while TikTok quietly charges 50% on every transaction to profit in the billions from the entire enterprise,” Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement Monday announcing the lawsuit. “Our investigation confirmed TikTok knows of the damage to young victims but feels it makes far too much money to stop.”
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