TikTok Seeks Arkansas School Documents

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Last week, attorneys for TikTok served subpoenas on public school officials in Northwest Arkansas requesting documents and testimony that may be relevant to a lawsuit over the social media giant’s operations.

TikTok boasts approximately one billion users worldwide — including upwards of 135 million in the U.S. — making it one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, has been valued at $300 billion.

But TikTok has come under fire for struggling to protect private user data from entities in China — including the Chinese Communist Party — and the platform has been accused of serving users a steady “diet of darkness” online.

In 2023, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed a consumer protection lawsuit against TikTok in Cleburne County Circuit Court.

The A.G.’s legal complaint calls the TikTok app “a Chinese ‘Trojan Horse’ unleashed on unsuspecting American consumers,” and notes that “tens of millions of minors use TikTok in the United States.”

Once on the app, the Attorney General’s office writes that TikTok’s algorithm “force-feeds” objectionable content to users.

The lawsuit says some of the objectionable content TikTok promotes to teens includes “illegal drug use, sex, violence, and self-harm,” and alleges that TikTok deceptively labeled its app as being appropriate for ages 13 and up when it really should have been rated 17+.

Last Tuesday, attorneys for TikTok served subpoenas to public school officials in Springdale requesting research, studies, communications, policies, programs, public statements, complaints, and other records concerning TikTok and other online platforms — particularly the effects these platforms allegedly have on Arkansas youth.

To be clear, the Springdale schools and officials are not being sued and are not accused of any wrongdoing in these documents. Rather, the subpoenas appear aimed at obtaining documents and deposition testimony that the attorneys may use in defending against Attorney General Griffin’s lawsuit.

As we have said repeatedly, there is growing evidence that social media platforms may deliberately addict users, promote objectionable content, and put people’s personal information at risk.

Social media platforms are more than just phone apps or websites. These are multibillion-dollar businesses, and the adults who profit from them need to be held to the same standards as other business leaders.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Family Council Joins Letter Urging Senate Leaders to Protect Kids Online

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On Thursday, Family Council joined a letter urging leaders in the U.S. Senate to protect children online.

Most teens and young adults are extremely active online. The U.S. Surgeon General says 95% of American teenagers use social media, and about one-third say they use it “almost constantly.” But parents, policymakers, and pundits have raised concerns about the harm that Big Tech can do to kids.

In March, juries in New Mexico and Los Angeles found Facebook and Instagram’s owner, Meta, liable for harming children’s mental health and concealing what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. In June, Reuters reported that Meta had begun lobbying Congress for special immunity from child-harm lawsuits during debate on the Kids Online Safety Act.

Apparently, instead of protecting children, Big Tech would rather avoid accountability.

On Thursday, Family Council joined other pro-family leaders from across the country in a letter urging U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee to be sure federal legislation upholds parental rights and protects children online.

The letter calls on the committee to protect children from addictive technology and reject any proposal to shield tech companies from accountability, writing:

When an addictive or potentially hazardous substance like alcohol, tobacco, or nicotine is in a product, we assist parents by prohibiting marketing of those products to children. In these ways, we require those who are designing, manufacturing, and marketing the product to assist parents, and we hold accountable those who hide known information about potential harm arising from their product. This same principle must apply to the most ubiquitous and addictive products on today’s market . . . Any measure advanced by the committee should build on state efforts to protect children, and any demand to grant preemptive immunity for emerging technology (especially generative AI) in exchange for ratifications of protections on other technologies should be emphatically rejected.

Time and again, we have seen examples of just how harmful social media and artificial intelligence can be for users — especially children.

Social media giant TikTok has found itself embroiled in controversies over its failure to protect private user data from entities in China — including the Chinese Communist Party. In May of 2025, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined TikTok $600 million for unlawfully transferring European user data to China.

The platform also has been accused of serving users a steady “diet of darkness” and violating laws intended to protect children online.

Late last year, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach sent a strongly worded letter to major AI developers, calling for real safeguards that protect kids.

In a statement, Kobach highlighted a Topeka case in which a sexual predator used AI to create thousands of images depicting child abuse.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has actually sued Facebook and Instagram’s owner, Meta, in state court for endangering children.

The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office has alleged that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are built around algorithms intentionally designed “to exploit human psychology and foster addiction to maximize users’ screen time.” The A.G. says this exploitation is especially harmful for young users with developing brains.

It’s worth pointing out that people believe children deserve protection when it comes to social media.

A recent survey from the Pew Research Center shows most Americans support banning children under 16 from using social media altogether.

Social media and AI platforms are multibillion dollar industries, and the adults who own and profit from these companies have a responsibility to protect their users.

Children deserve proactive protection online. The Arkansas Legislature and Arkansas Attorney General’s office have worked hard to give children that kind of protection. Our federal policymakers need to do their part to as well.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Most Americans Want to Keep Kids Off Social Media

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A recent survey from the Pew Research Center shows most Americans support banning children under 16 from using social media.

Between Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms, most teens and young adults are on some form of social media. The U.S. Surgeon General says 95% of American teenagers use social media, and about one-third say they use it “almost constantly.” But parents, policymakers, and pundits have raised concerns about the harm that social media can cause to kids.

According the survey Pew conducted, 56% of U.S. adults support a ban on social media use for anyone under 16. Only 21% oppose it. Pew found support for the ban is bipartisan and is strong across every major age group. Among parents with children under 18, with 65% support keeping kids off social media.

Besides banning social media for children under 16, adults support other restrictions on social media platforms. Eighty-five percent support requiring parental consent before a child can create a social media account. Seventy-eight percent support age verification requirements for social media platforms. Another 78% support setting time limits on how long minors can use these platforms. All of these figures are up from past surveys — which shows more and more Americans believe social media platforms need guardrails when it comes to children.

A growing body of evidence shows that — by design — social media platforms are not appropriate for children.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has filed a lawsuit accusing Facebook and Instagram of using algorithms intentionally designed “to exploit human psychology and foster addiction to maximize users’ screen time.” TikTok has been accused of serving kids a steady “diet of darkness” online. Courts in New Mexico and California have already found Meta liable for harming children on its platforms.

Social media is more than just websites or phone apps. These are multibillion dollar businesses with tremendous influence. The adults who own and profit from these businesses have a responsibility to protect children on their platforms.

Arkansas has been ahead of the curve on this issue. The Arkansas Legislature passed laws designed to protect children online, and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has sued Meta and TikTok in state court. In fact, Family Council is not aware of any attorney general in America who is doing more to hold social media giants accountable and protect children online than Attorney General Griffin. But more needs to be done.

Pew’s survey confirms that adults understand these platforms are not safe for kids and support stronger protections for children online. Policymakers need to be sure those protections are put in place.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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