A group of attorneys general from 15 states asked Google and Apple to raise the age recommendation for TikTok. In the letter they sent last Tuesday to both companies, they asked them to reclassify the app from being recommended for "teens” to "mature.”
Carta enviada por quince fiscales generales a Tim Cook pidiendo la recalificación por edades de TikTok by VozMedia on Scribd
In the letter, the Attorneys General, all of whom are members of the Republican Party, noted that the app was labeled in Apple's App Store as being suitable for users "over 12 years old" while Google marked it as "T" which is content appropriate for "teenagers.” According to the websites of both companies, this classification means that "content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language."
The attorneys general in Montana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia believe the current rating is insufficient.
According to the document, the app should be recommended for those over 17 years of age: "The TikTok app contains frequent and intense alcohol, tobacco, and drug use or references, sexual content, profanity, and mature/suggestive themes," the document reads. Because of this, the plaintiffs explain, they are asking both Google and Apple to only recommend TikTok with an "'M' for 'Mature' rating."
Google and Apple should ensure accurate age recommendations
The lead representative for this proposed change is Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen. In a statement, he explained that they asked Google and Apple to take immediate action, as they should ensure accurate age recommendations:
Parents are the first line of defense, but their job is being made more difficult by ratings that misrepresent the true content found on the platform. It’s past time for Apple and Google to do their part in helping parents keep their kids safe online and increase their TikTok ratings.
In addition, they threatened both companies that, should they fail to reclassify TikTok in the near future, they may take legal action against them. For the time being, neither Apple nor Google reacted to the request of the attorneys general.
TikTok spoke out. One of the social network's spokespersons said in statements to The Wall Street Journal that protecting minors is one of its obligations:
One of our most important commitments is supporting the safety and well-being of teens, which we strive to accomplish through robust safety policies and parental controls, age-appropriate account settings and over 40,000 safety professionals dedicated to keeping our community safe and welcoming.
The request comes around the same time that the Senate passed legislation that prohibits state employees from installing TikTok on federal devices. Marco Rubio recently proposed to permanently veto the app nationwide.
