New York accuses TikTok of serving users ‘placebo’ safety features
The Verge·October 8, 2026
New York is alleging that thousands of TikTok users, including kids and teens, were unknowingly given "ghost" versions of the platform's safety features rather than the working versions. Reuters reports the allegation is part of an "updated, sealed version" of New York's 2024 lawsuit against TikTok, which was "later ordered unsealed by a judge." According to the new allegations, TikTok's "experiment" effectively blocked some users from accessing features like an option to reset your algorithm, which can potentially help users avoid harmful content popping up in their feed. As Reuters notes, users in the experiment "believed they had activa …
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