Apple urged TikTok to revise age recommendations, reveal leaked lawsuit pages

Apple had strongly urged TikTok to revise age recommendations on the app, leaked pages of an ongoing lawsuit have revealed. Apple was aware and cautious of mature content and expletives-laden language on TikTok.

TikTok employees and states have raised concerns about mature content

TikTok has been increasingly facing heat from several states in the US. Most of the lawsuits have made similar allegations. So far, 14 States have claimed TikTok damages young users’ mental health.

It is concerning to note that some of TikTok’s employees too found issues with the actions of the company. In other words, TikTok may have dragged its feet while trying to reduce content like profanity and eating disorders.

One of the most glaring examples was about pop-up alerts. Profanity was reportedly found in one out of every 50 pop-up alerts shown to minors in the US and UK in a month.

If that’s not concerning enough, TikTok may have known its “time limit” tool wasn’t strictly enforceable. In other words, minors could easily circumvent the basic tech, thereby increasing exposure to potentially harmful content.

Leaked lawsuit documents reveal Apple wanted TikTok to revise age recommendations

It appears Apple was well aware of the methods, or lack thereof, that TikTok adopted. Specifically speaking, TikTok and other popular social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat have an age rating of 12 and over.

Digital platforms like Reddit, Discord, and X are best suited for users 17 and up, suggests the Apple App Store. The same age recommendation or restriction should apply to TikTok as well, leaked court documents have revealed.

According to the Washington Post, back in 2022, Apple had urged TikTok to revise the minimum age recommendation. A team that reviews ratings, found that the app features “frequent or intense mature or suggestive content”. Apple subsequently asked TikTok to raise its recommended age to 17 and over.

“We hope you will consider making the necessary changes to follow the App Store Review Guidelines and will resubmit [your rating]”.

Apple’s comments were accidentally made public in South Carolina’s complaint against TikTok. These comments should have been redacted. As expected, TikTok isn’t happy about the revelation. TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek reportedly claimed, “Many of these issues have already been addressed”. He further stated the company “has always enforced strict policies against nudity, sexually explicit content, and solicitation.”

While TikTok could have raised the minimum age recommendation, this wasn’t in its best interest. After all, social media platforms want to attract and retain as many people as possible. This helps them to serve more ads to a wider demographic. Perhaps Apple should have retained the right to impose age restrictions to help vulnerable and impressionable kids and teens.