Kentucky AG Russell Coleman says TikTok is "an addiction machine," cites discovery showing youth monetization

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said discovery in a multistate lawsuit alleges TikTok and its parent, ByteDance, design product features that target children and monetize their attention.

Coleman told the interviewer that "we know in The United States, it truly is an addiction machine" and said discovery shows Chinese controls on youth use in China differ from practices in the U.S. He said discovery documents quote TikTok executives referring to U.S. youth as a "golden audience" and that the company pursues monetization opportunities over long time horizons.

Coleman cited a figure from discovery that in‑app purchases in Kentucky totaled $240,000,000 last year, using the number to illustrate the scale of monetization of youth attention. He also said the platform's algorithm is "intentional" and claimed it makes the service attractive to predators who can access minors.

A TikTok spokesperson, quoted on-air by the host, said the company "strongly disagree[s] with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading," adding that the company is "proud of and remain[s] deeply committed to the work we've done to protect teens" and will continue to update the product.

Coleman encouraged viewers to read the complaint for details. He framed the litigation as part of attorneys general duties to "go to where the threat is" and to protect children, while acknowledging he is not a technical expert and urging technical agencies to investigate where appropriate.

The interview did not provide a timetable for the TikTok litigation or list specific counts from the complaint on air.