Carr Joins Bipartisan Coalition of AGs, Takes New Action in Ongoing TikTok Investigation

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr has joined a bipartisan coalition of 22 attorneys general in urging a Tennessee court to enforce its orders that require TikTok to preserve and produce relevant evidence in an ongoing multistate investigation. The attorneys general began their investigation in 2022 to determine whether TikTok is violating state consumer protection laws, and in doing so, harming the mental health of children and teens.

“When it comes to social media, we’re working to protect our children from content that could prove harmful to their physical or mental health,” said Carr. “With the assistance of our fellow attorneys general, we’re committed to conducting a thorough investigation of TikTok’s practices so we can ensure the rule of law is upheld and our kids are kept safe.”

Various states, including Georgia, have issued requests for information related to TikTok’s business practices. Last year, when TikTok failed to produce the requested information, Georgia and 45 other states filed an amicus brief in support of Tennessee when it sought an enforcement action in state court to compel the company to comply with its requests. The court has twice ordered TikTok to produce responsive documents and witnesses for deposition, but the company has failed to fully comply with these orders.

The brief asserts that TikTok’s failure to preserve potentially relevant evidence and to produce information in a reasonably useable format is impeding the multistate investigation. The brief emphasizes that a resolution from the court is critical and without it companies will increasingly be emboldened to destroy relevant evidence, which will materially hinder the ability of states to protect their residents.

While various attorneys general pursue litigation, the states joining the amicus brief will continue with their investigation to better understand the full scope of TikTok’s conduct and potential consumer protection violations. These actions are all part of the multistate coalition’s continued efforts to hold TikTok accountable for its role in harming youth mental health.

Joining Carr in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.  

Find a copy of the brief here .