TikTok is currently fighting lawsuits from 14 US states that claim the platform harms the mental health of young users, and it appears state officials aren’t the only ones with this sentiment.
Apple is secretly pressuring TikTok to increase its age recommendations from 12 and up to 17 and up, The Washington Post reported. Apple’s comments were included in the South Carolina state’s complaint against TikTok, and although they should have been censored, they were accidentally made public.
According to these documents, Apple formed a team to review TikTok’s age rating in 2022 and found that the platform contained “frequently or extensively adult or sexually explicit content.” “We hope you will consider making any necessary changes to follow the App Store Review Guidelines and resubmit,” Apple added. The details of Apple’s demands are unknown, as only some of the censored content has been made public.
Parts of South Carolina’s complaint that were mistakenly made public also claim that TikTok attempted to “leverage goodwill in its lobbying efforts” by donating to organizations such as parent-teacher associations. It is also stated that the company tries to benefit by sponsoring events organized by popular political figures.
TikTok is disturbed by the situation
Unsurprisingly, TikTok doesn’t seem too happy about this information being made public, and TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek called the release of censored information irresponsible. The spokesperson said many of these issues have already been addressed and noted that the company has always enforced strict policies against nudity, sexual content and harassment.
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