The Missouri Attorney General's Office is taking action against two popular online platforms with ties to China.
Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced this week her office has filed for an investigation into video content app TikTok and a lawsuit against e-commerce platform Temu.
Hanaway cited similar concerns about privacy, harmful content and deceptive practices against Missourians as the reasons for both actions.
The Attorney General's Office issued a Civil Investigate Demand (CID) to TikTok, requiring the company to disclose the ways in which its algorithm highlights and pushes content aimed at children.
"Parents deserve the truth about how TikTok interacts with their children, how the platform identifies underage users, and what content it pushes into their feeds," Hanaway wrote in a press release. "If TikTok has misled families, concealed risks, or engineered features that harm Missouri children, our office will act without hesitation."
The investigation aims to determine how data is collected on users age 13-24. Apps like TikTok generate user data to curate content based on factors like watch time, likes and engagement. Hanaway's office is raising questions about whether these systems are responsible for pushing inappropriate content on children.
The CID also requests information on how TikTok evaluates a user's age and whether or not it is enforcing its policies against harmful content for young users. Studies in recent years have demonstrated that things like dangerous online challenges, AI-generated content and increased algorithm optimization could have damaging effects on users' attention spans.
TikTok is the overseas variant of Douyin, created by Chinese company ByteDance. The company sold TikTok's U.S. operations to a consortium of domestic investors earlier this year in an effort to stave off a nationwide ban of the app.
For Temu, Hanaway is seeking a permanent injunction to prohibit the e-commerce business from utilizing "aggressive and misleading data collection practices, misleading pricing, false statements about product quality, and other harmful business practices." The 104-page petition shared by the attorney general accuses Temu of violating Missourians' privacy and hurting the state's brands.
Hanaway is urging all Missouri residents to delete the app and cautions it could be used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a way to steal their data.
"Temu lied to you, stole your data, packaged it up, and potentially delivered it to the CCP," she wrote. "Our office will continue to crack down on illegal operations that intentionally harm Missouri consumers through deception and unlawful business practices."
Temu is known for producing generic versions of branded merchandise and selling them at a heavily-reduced rate. The injunction filing highlights specific instances of stolen branding for companies like the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals, Budweiser and the University of Missouri.
The lawsuit cites investigations by Missouri and other entities that show how the Temu app harvests users' personal information using devices' cameras and microphones, real-time location data and app downloads. Much of its code is also synonymous with spyware and malware.
Similar to TikTok, Temu could pose risks to young adults as it has no age verification or parental consent system. The injunction also raises concerns about potential forced labor used by the company in China.
"As we move into the holiday season, Missourians need to be especially wary of what websites, applications, and e-commerce platforms they and their children use. As we've seen in this case, many apps aren't as safe as they may appear," Hanaway wrote. "We want children to be safe in every online space, whether they're using social media or engaging as consumers."
TikTok has until Nov. 13 to comply with the CID, otherwise it may face legal penalties.
Missourians' with concerns about harmful effects of TikTok or Temu can file a complaint at ago.mo.gov or call 800-392-8222.