Leaked internal documents from TikTok suggest the platform actively promotes “beautiful people” while reducing visibility for those deemed “less attractive.” The findings were made public as part of an ongoing lawsuit involving 14 U.S. states, led by California and New York, which accuses TikTok of violating consumer protection laws. The documents also claim that TikTok’s algorithm manipulates content to push a narrow beauty standard, which could negatively affect young users’ mental health.
The lawsuit further alleges that TikTok targets children, exploiting their vulnerability to addictive content. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the platform “intentionally targets children” and “takes away time and childhoods.” Investigators found that users could become addicted to TikTok within just 35 minutes, which can be as short as 260 video views, often reinforcing content based on appearances.
Another significant claim in the lawsuit is that TikTok intentionally promotes users deemed more attractive by its algorithm. According to the documents, the app showed a higher volume of attractive individuals after determining that users’ feeds included “not attractive subjects.” This revelation has led to growing criticism of the app’s role in worsening the mental health crisis among teens, who are already facing heightened pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.
In response, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek slammed the media for publishing “cherry-picked” information from outdated documents, arguing that these details misrepresent the platform’s commitment to user safety. Despite TikTok’s response, the lawsuit continues, with the platform facing mounting scrutiny over its role in shaping users’ perceptions of beauty and self-worth.
