Several US states filed new lawsuits Tuesday against the short-form video-sharing platform TikTok, alleging that the service harms and fails to protect young users. The complaints, filed in New York, California, 11 other states, and Washington, D.C., claimed that TikTok used addictive software to keep children’s eyeballs glued to the app and misrepresented its efforts at content moderation.

TikTok rejected the accusations as misleading and said it was disappointing that states chose to sue instead of working towards a solution industry-wide. The Chinese-owned company is already in the United States facing legal challenges and is fighting a proposed ban on the app.

TikTok argues that robust safeguards are in place for children and parents. At the same time, US lawmakers fear the app could give the Chinese government access to data and influence Americans through its algorithm.

So far, however, 170 million US users of TikTok, as well as civil rights and digital rights groups, are opposed to a ban, saying it would infringe on free speech. They point out that TikTok is such an important place that voices from marginalised groups, usually not on mainstream media’s radar, need to be amplified.

The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, condemned the move to ban TikTok. The organisation said it would endanger the rights covered under the First Amendment. According to them, TikTok is a place of ideas where people can learn and participate in protests.

Among the claims alleged in the lawsuits is that TikTok maximises users’ screen time to earn advertising profits. The company targets children who need help managing their screen time.

According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the platform exacerbates mental health problems among young people. This is another accusation against the company, which has been presented in the Washington, DC, lawsuit: It accommodates the sexual exploitation of minors through live streams, including virtual currency.

However, TikTok defends its position by its safety measures: default screen time limits and privacy settings for users under 16. Yet, other states such as Utah and Texas, and even the US Department of Justice, have already sued the company. According to the DOJ, TikTok fails to protect children’s privacy.