Utah officials accuse TikTok of profiting from exploitation in newly unredacted complaint

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Explosive new details have emerged in Utah’s lawsuit against TikTok Inc., alleging the platform knowingly profited from the exploitation of minors and facilitated criminal activity through its LIVE feature. Previously redacted portions of the complaint, made public by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection with approval from Judge Coral Sanchez, reveal findings from TikTok’s internal investigations, dubbed “Project Meramec” and “Project Jupiter.”

According to the complaint, TikTok executives were aware their platform was being used for child exploitation, with hundreds of thousands of minors accessing its LIVE feature despite ineffective age restrictions. Through virtual currency exchanges, minors were allegedly coerced by adults into performing explicit acts in exchange for digital gifts that could be cashed out for real money. These allegations are based on TikTok’s own internal investigation, “Project Meramec,” which documented these abuses but reportedly did not lead to meaningful corrective action.

“The revelations in this complaint are not just allegations of negligence—they are evidence of a deliberate choice to prioritize profit over the safety and well-being of our children,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

Monetizing exploitation and criminal activity

The complaint also accuses TikTok of taking up to 50% of the money exchanged on its LIVE feature, including funds exchanged in illicit transactions. A separate internal probe, “Project Jupiter,” found that TikTok LIVE was being used to launder money, sell drugs, and fund terrorist organizations like ISIL.

“TikTok serves up minors on ‘TikTok LIVE,’ knowing the danger, understanding the damage, and still monetizing the exploitation of our kids,” said Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. “This is unconscionable.”

The state alleges that TikTok’s algorithm promotes content that garners virtual currency, often prioritizing live feeds involving sexual or illegal activity, which are labeled as “TopLives” and shown prominently to users. This creates an environment where children are unwittingly exposed to predatory and dangerous communities.

Utah’s fight against TikTok

This is Utah’s second lawsuit against TikTok. In October 2023, the state filed a consumer protection case accusing the company of designing addictive features targeting young users. After a prolonged legal battle over subpoena compliance, a judge held TikTok in contempt and ordered the release of documents that revealed additional dangers posed by its platform.

Margaret Woolley Busse, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, criticized TikTok’s lack of ethical oversight. “This complaint shows just how TikTok has been lacking in any moral guardrails and how they have knowingly put our kids at risk,” she said.

National implications

The case underscores broader concerns about social media’s role in endangering children and facilitating illegal activity. “This last complaint I file as AG is symbolic of my years standing watch over this great state,” said Reyes. “With discovery, the full extent of TikTok’s culpability can be demonstrated at trial.”

The newly unredacted complaint sets the stage for a landmark legal battle that could have far-reaching implications for social media companies and their accountability for user safety.