Newly unsealed documents in a lawsuit filed by the state of Utah against TikTok reveal disturbing details about the company’s knowledge of child sexual exploitation and money laundering on its livestreaming platform, TikTok Live. The lawsuit, originally filed last June, alleges that TikTok profited from the exploitation of children and maintained an “open-door policy” allowing predators and criminals to operate freely. Utah’s Attorney General, Sean Reyes, stated that TikTok’s actions are “unconscionable,” highlighting the devastating consequences of online child exploitation, including depression, suicide, addiction, and trafficking.
The unredacted documents, released on Friday after a court order overruled TikTok’s attempt to keep them confidential, detail two internal TikTok investigations. Project Meramec, launched in 2022 following a Forbes article on underage users stripping for money, discovered nearly 400,000 TikTok Live creators aged 16-17. A significant number of these underage users engaged in sexualized acts in exchange for digital gifts, which could be converted into real money. The investigation uncovered a shocking pattern of underage creators openly admitting their age and displaying signs indicating sexual acts they would perform for specific gifts. Examples included phrases like “Rose = say daddy,” “ice cream = 360 spin,” and “universe = cut shirt.” Despite reports made through TikTok’s internal tools, the lawsuit claims these activities were not deemed violations of TikTok’s policies.
Project Jupiter, initiated in 2021, focused on money laundering via TikTok Live’s gifting feature. TikTok’s investigators identified a “high” risk of money laundering and discovered the platform was being used for drug sales and fraudulent activities. Despite these findings, the lawsuit asserts that TikTok failed to implement effective measures to curb these illicit activities. The lawsuit further alleges that TikTok’s algorithm actively promoted livestreams containing sexual content due to their higher profitability, given TikTok’s significant share (up to 50%) of the proceeds from digital gifts.
TikTok’s spokesperson countered the lawsuit, claiming it misrepresented the company’s efforts and used outdated information out of context. The spokesperson emphasized the company’s age restrictions for Live and its provision of customizable safety tools. However, the unredacted documents suggest TikTok prioritized profits over safety, “slow-rolling” the implementation of safety measures due to the lucrative nature of TikTok Live.
Utah’s lawsuit is part of a broader legal action against social media companies for their alleged role in facilitating child exploitation. Similar lawsuits have been filed against Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok by other states, highlighting a growing concern over the safety and well-being of children on these platforms. The release of the unredacted documents underscores the serious allegations against TikTok and the urgent need for stronger measures to protect children online.