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PA Attorney General sues TikTok over 'lack of safeguards, misrepresentation' In a Tuesday press conference, Sunday said TikTok "misrepresents its app as age-appropriate for teens." HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania has taken up a case against TikTok, citing a "lack of safeguards" for teens. In a Tuesday press conference, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said TikTok "misrepresents its app as age-appropriate for teens as young as 13." Sunday added that in app stores, to obtain a 13+ age rating, the social media giant claims that mature content is "infrequent" on the app. "Our investigation reveals that this could not be further from the truth," Attorney General Sunday said. "That age rating gives parents the illusion of safety but actually opens the door to putting content literally in the palms of our kids' hands." The Attorney General's office has filed a civil lawsuit in Allegheny County against TikTok for misrepresenting itself and showing teens adult material such as "sexual content and nudity, profanity, and drug use." The lawsuit alleges that the platform's design induces near-infinite scrolling, and can create an addictive draw for teens, in order to drive ad revenue. "TikTok intentionally designed its platform to be addictive to young people," he said. "They want users, including children, to crave the app. They want users to endlessly scroll while they rake in astronomical ad revenue." Sunday also stated in the press conference that TikTok seems to work against positive influences in children's lives. Healthy childhood development is also at risk, Sunday said. "When TikTok is constantly, infinitely in our kids' view streams to where a child is essentially trapped in a scroll, we see TikTok as inhibitors to healthy adolescent development." Sunday also referenced several "teenTALK" events his office held over the past school year to get teens' perspectives on the app; he says children in those discussions reported feeling "trapped" on TikTok. According to Pew Research Center, TikTok ranks as one of the most downloaded apps, with nearly 100 million daily users in the U.S. Download the WFMJ app for your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet to get its push alerts as news happens.

Meta, TikTok agree to boost fact-checking after Ceuta migrant rush: EU. August 11, 2026 11:44 am Key takeaways by Insider Paper * Meta and TikTok agreed voluntary steps to boost fact-checking after Ceuta migrant rush linked to disinformation. * EU set up a mechanism under the Digital Services Act to improve platform cooperation with local fact-checkers during crises. * Brussels increased coordination with Meta, TikTok and Europol and may compel further action if voluntary measures fail. * Platforms activated crisis protocols, removed policy-violating content, and worked with fact-checkers like AFP, Newtral and MapExpress. The EU said Tuesday Meta and TikTok had agreed to voluntary steps to boost fact-checking of harmful disinformation linked to the Ceuta migrant rush - but did not rule out compelling the tech giants to do more. Experts say social media disinformation helped drive the deadly rush of 72,000 migrants from Morocco into Spain's north African territory late last month - with for instance a rumour that "the Ceuta border is open" spreading like wildfire online. The European Commission said it had increased coordination with Meta and TikTok alongside the European police force Europol, and set up a mechanism helping the platforms to better cooperate with local fact-checkers. "The platforms confirmed that they activated their crisis protocols and... it was decided that an ad-hoc escalation and cooperation mechanism would be put in place," a spokesman for the bloc's executive, Balazs Ujvari, told reporters. "For now, we think that this is an effective tool. But of course, if needed, we are ready to go further," he added. The mechanism can be launched in times of crisis under the EU's online content rules known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), and was done so on a voluntary basis "under the coordination of the Commission," Ujvari said. It aims to help "platforms get better information from the fact-checkers" tasked with flagging "harmful disinformation related to, for example, a potential new mass crossing of the border," he said. The move came after the EU held talks with Meta and TikTok Friday and Monday, and the spokesman said Brussels remained in contact with the platforms. AFP is among a number of third-party media outlets paid by some online platforms including Meta for work to tackle disinformation, and is one of the group's fact-checking partners in Spain. A Meta spokesperson said a team was "monitoring the situation in Ceuta in real time and removing content that violates our policies - including content that offers to provide, facilitate or seek human smuggling services". TikTok also underlined it has strict rules against content that encourages or enables human smuggling and illegal border crossings. TikTok said it was working with journalism and fact-checking organisation Newtral in Spain and MapExpress in Morocco, pushing them to be vigilant when looking at content during any rapidly-evolving situation.

TikTok launches #thinktwice Family Guide to empower Filipino teens & Families with digital safety tools. TikTok has officially launched the #ThinkTwice Family Guide in the Philippines as part of its continued efforts to empower teens and families to navigate the digital world with greater confidence and awareness. The initiative was launched during the #ThinkTwice Troop Townhall in celebration of International Youth Day. Created in partnership with Child Rights Coalition-Asia, Child Rights Network, and Plan International Pilipinas, the guide includes conversation starters, reflection activities, digital safety tips, and information on TikTok tools and safety features that can support healthier online habits. Designed to complement TikTok's 50 pre-set safety and privacy features for teens and its Family Pairing tools, the guide can be accessed by searching "Think Twice" on TikTok. This directs users to the #ThinkTwice Digital Check-In Hub where they can access and download the full Guide. General Reference Discover more Computers & Electronics Business Operations Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Highlighting the motivation behind the initiative, Yves Gonzalez, Public Policy Head for the Philippines at TikTok, emphasized the growing role of the internet in modern households. "For many families today, digital life is no longer separate from everyday life - it's where young people learn, socialize, create, and discover who they are. That's why building healthier digital habits requires more than rules alone. It requires open conversations, mutual understanding, and practical tools that families can explore together. Through the #ThinkTwice Family Guide, created in partnership with Child Rights Coalition-Asia, Child Rights Network, and Plan International Pilipinas, we hope to support Filipino families with practical resources that make those conversations feel more approachable and relevant," Gonzalez said. TikTok's #ThinkTwice Family Guide is a valuable resource designed to help Filipino families navigate the digital world together. By listening to teens and working with the communities around them, families and stakeholders can help create a digital environment that is not only safer, but also more empowering and positive. Speaking on behalf of government advocates, Undersecretary Angelo Tapales of the Council for the Welfare of Children highlighted that young people must be seen as active leaders in online safety. "Young people are not merely recipients of protection. You are active participants in creating safer digital spaces. Your voices matter, and they should continue to inform our policies, programs, and initiatives that shape our digital experiences. Digital parenting is not about knowing every application or monitoring every click. Hindi po sila [the parents] mga security guards or police ng digital spaces. Rather, it's about building trust, maintaining open communication, and creating an environment where teens feel safe to ask questions, seek guidance, and report concerns," said Undersecretary Tapales added. The event featured dynamic youth voices in a panel discussion titled "Empowering Teens to Build Safer Digital Habits." Teen advocates Bea Vicente and Jhasper Galleza from Plan International Pilipinas, along with Charles Dwayne Sicad from the Council for the Welfare of Children, shared their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of the digital world and what it means to navigate it safely and responsibly. Drawing from their own experiences and advocacy, the teen advocates highlighted the importance of giving young people the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions online, while ensuring that they have trusted adults and communities they can turn to when they encounter challenges. Discover more E-commerce Gadgets & Portable Electronics Internet & Telecom After hearing the perspectives and insights of young people, the second panel discussion shifted toward adults and how families, the youth, and communities can be empowered to navigate the online space together. The segment brought together Sheila Estabillo, Program Manager at Plan International Pilipinas; Amihan Abueva, Regional Executive Director of Child Rights Coalition Asia; Dr. Francis Dimalanta, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician; and Kuya Kim Atienza, a veteran television host, educator, and parent creator. The conversation explored how families can create the trust and communication young people need as they gain greater independence online. During the panel, Plan International Pilipinas emphasized that digital safety is not the responsibility of children or parents alone, but a shared responsibility across government, the private sector, communities, local governments, and families. "For parents, our goal is not to become technology police. We don't need to know every app or every trend. What matters more is becoming a trusted digital guide - someone your teen can turn to when something uncomfortable or confusing happens online," Estabillo explained. "Each of us has a role to play. Our ultimate goal here is not to remove teens from the digital environment, but to equip them with the necessary practical skills, so they can safely navigate the online environment safely, critically, and responsibly." Engineering & Technology Echoing these collaborative sentiments, Child Rights Coalition Asia emphasized that building a strong foundation of trust and communication between parents and children is essential to helping young people navigate the digital world safely. "Building the link between the parent and the teen is something even before the digital conversation comes in. So, if you have developed a good relationship with your teen, where they feel comfortable, hopefully that extends when they enter the digital world," said Abueva. As young people spend more time online, traditional approaches to parenting are evolving across the country. Atienza highlighted the importance of learning the language of today's young people in order to understand them. "Teens nowadays are different. We just have to accept, as parents, that teens are different, and we have to speak their language," said Atienza. "We just have to listen without judging and meet them where they are. As we meet them where they are, we also have to learn their language. We will not be able to meet them where they are if we're not on social media." When asked about simple ways parents and teens can begin these conversations naturally, Dr. Dimalanta simplified it with the TEEN acronym, highlighting four practical reminders: Put Teens first; Establish daily routines, which he said has strong clinical backing because "adolescent sleep architecture is already vulnerable"; establish Emotional regulation, recognizing that "when they are crying, you don't tell them to stop crying"; be Now, or be present in the moment; and Spark a conversation, encouraging parents to create opportunities for open and natural dialogue. The platform already integrates technical protections for its youngest demographic. Teen accounts on TikTok have more than 50 different preset safety features and settings designed just for the safety and privacy of teens, including private accounts, content restrictions, and daily screen time limits set to 60 minutes. Knowing that every teen and family is different, the Family Digital Check-In Guide complements TikTok's Safety Center resources, including the Guardian's Guide and Teen Safety Center, to give Filipino families a localised tool that helps set positive digital boundaries together. Families can access and download the Family Digital Check-In Guide via the TikTok #ThinkTwice Digital Hub. It is also accessible within the TikTok app when users search for digital safety-related terms. General Reference Robert "Bob" Reyes is a technologist, an ICT Consultant and Tech Speaker, a certified Google IT Support Specialist, and an Open Source advocate representing the global non-profit Mozilla (makers of Firefox) in the Philippines. Bob is a Technology Columnist for the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation and an aviation subject matter expert contributor for Spot.PH. Follow The Filipino Tech Explainer on Facebook and X/Twitter. If you liked my articles or any of the contents or if The Filipino Tech Explainer has helped you in any way, you can buy me a coffee and share your thoughts. Help me continue producing awesome articles by supporting my website. Maraming salamat po! Thank you very much!