Key facts
- TikTok allegedly gave thousands of users, including teens and children, placebo versions of its "Algo Refresh" safety feature.
- Users believed the "Algo Refresh" feature was active, but their feeds did not change, unlike those with the working version.
- New York's lawsuit alleges TikTok assured users of its commitment to safety while knowingly restricting access to safety tools.
- An internal TikTok product manager reportedly warned that placebo tests conflicted with the feature's goal of algorithm transparency and control.
- The lawsuit claims TikTok conducted these tests in 2023 to study user retention and ad revenue.
- A separate alleged experiment by TikTok turned off safety features for some users, leading to one teen being shown self-harm content before his suicide.
TikTok allegedly conducted experiments on thousands of users, including teens and children, by providing them with non-functional versions of its "Algo Refresh" safety feature, according to allegations in a lawsuit unsealed by New York.
In these "ghost" or placebo experiments, users who opted to use the "Algo Refresh" tool, designed to reset recommendations and escape potentially harmful content, believed they had activated the feature. However, their feeds remained unchanged, unlike users who received the fully functional version, the lawsuit claims.
The allegations are part of a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which accuses TikTok of designing its platform to be addictive for children and misleading users about its safety measures. Many documents in state cases have been sealed as TikTok seeks to protect operational details.
The lawsuit asserts that TikTok assures users of its commitment to safety and its suitability for young audiences, while simultaneously preventing certain user groups from accessing safety tools. A TikTok spokesperson stated that the company continuously improves its platform and regularly tests new features to validate user experience.
Internally, a TikTok product manager reportedly expressed concerns that placebo tests on the "Algo Refresh" feature were problematic and potentially misleading, as it conflicted with the feature's aim of providing algorithm transparency and control. Despite these concerns, the company allegedly conducted these tests repeatedly in 2023, comparing users who did not receive the feature with those who did to study engagement and ad revenue.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges TikTok misled consumers about the functionality of "Algo Refresh," claiming it would reset the video recommendation algorithm when it only offered a temporary change. Previously revealed experiments also involved TikTok randomly disabling safety features for users, which, according to a Bloomberg report cited in the lawsuit, led to a teen boy being shown self-harm content before his suicide.