Over a dozen states, that are led by California and New York, sue TikTok for harming young people’s mental health, claiming that it was designed to keep them hooked on the app.

The lawsuits stem from a national investigation into TikTok, which was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan partnership of attorneys general from many states. All of the complaints were filed in state courts.

The lawsuits, also claim that TikTok relies on “addictive features” that keep users glued to its platform, which in turn can hurt their mental health. These features include notifications that can harm kids’ sleep patterns and video autoplay that encourages users to spend more time on the platform, without the option to turn off the autoplay function, according to the complaint. 

TikTok, has repeatedly said it believes its platform is safe for children and that it offers safety features such as screen time limits for young users and optional parental oversight tools. 

However, the group of states involved claim TikTok is not doing enough.

“TikTok’s underlying business model focuses on maximizing young users’ time on the platform so the company can boost revenue from selling targeted ads,” the attorneys general said in a statement. “TikTok uses an addictive, content-recommendation system designed to keep minors on the platform as long as possible and as often as possible, despite the dangers of compulsive use.”

The lawsuit seeks financial penalties against TikTok, including a requirement that the platform repay any profits it received from ads directed to New York teens or pre-teens.