Seven families took the TikTok platform to court to recognize its responsibility for the deterioration of the mental health of their children. Morgane, mother of Maëlle, agreed to testify.
“Today, Maëlle* is doing average, she is still fragile.” For several years, Morgane has held her daughter at arm’s length, now diagnosed with “emotional dysregulation”, a difficulty in managing intense emotions, but which has resulted in a series of visits to psychiatric hospitals and suicide attempts. “Her fight is to be well, mine is also to alert,” summarizes the mother.
[INÉDIT] Has TikTok pushed teens to suicide? Seven families sue the app
Morgane is one of seven French families who took TikTok to court in France to have the platform recognized as responsible for the deterioration of their children’s mental health. Two teenage girls ended up killing themselves, Maëlle self-harmed, suffered from eating disorders and attempted suicide.
“I’m not saying that TikTok made my daughter feel bad, but the videos offered locked her in her discomfort,” denounces the mother.
The “For you” thread called into question
For Maëlle, this discomfort appears in fourth grade. The young girl withdraws, scarifies herself and consults a psychologist, in front of whom she talks about the “bad guys” in her class. The word harassment is not used. Today, it is established by the medical profession that it is this harassment which is at the origin of Maëlle’s problems. At the time, however, the teenager, who had just gotten her first cell phone for Christmas, signed up for TikTok.
On the platform, Maëlle likes a first sad song video, then two, then three. The “infernal spiral” is taking place on its “For you” recommendations thread. The young girl begins to receive content about self-harm, eating disorders, suicide. “In these videos, we give tips for scarifying ourselves, for obtaining blades, for obtaining medication…”, laments Morgane.
Addicted to content, Maëlle found a community in which “she revels in her discomfort”. Her mother found a rope under her mattress, the young girl went to get medicine to end her life. She ended up in intensive care following a suicide attempt.
“Images that trivialize death”
At the time, Morgane did not make the link between the social network and the deterioration of her daughter’s mental health, whose continued education was increasingly complicated. “You are like a zombie, you move forward because you have to, because your child’s life is what matters most, confides the mother. You have to manage your child’s health on a daily basis, it’s difficult to do so. look for the causes.”
Then a few months ago, Morgane heard a report on the radio about TikTok and the content that can be found there. “For me, TikTok was kitten videos!”, she marvels. She talks about it with Maëlle who admits to her that she was confronted with videos on self-harm, eating disorders, suicide. “TikTok’s algorithms have locked Maëlle into this malaise, with images that trivialize death,” insists the mother.
“Videos in which it is explained that scarification without blood does not count, that a suicide attempt which does not lead to hospitalization does not count either…”, denounces Morgane.
“Our young people are doing badly”
Today, Maëlle is hospitalized in a child psychiatry where she is undergoing very heavy therapy. With her mother, they created an Instagram page, the Crochet Whisperers, where mother and daughter create two crochet parrots in the style of Amélie Poulain’s dwarf. A way for them, who share the two stuffed animals when Maëlle is hospitalized, to raise awareness about the mental health of young people.
His mother also fights so that “the pain of our family can be of use to others”. With the Algos Victima collective, founded by lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion, she was involved in the civil summons of six other families. “I want us to talk about it, I want us to alert parents, caregivers, teachers,” insists Morgane. “They say that our young people are doing badly, but there is a reason.”
Australia has just set the age for accessing social networks at 16. A year ago, the NGO Amnesty International published a study concerning the “For You” thread. Thread which according to the association encourages self-harm and suicidal thoughts while the average time spent on the application by young French people is two hours per day.
The question “taken seriously” by TikTok
When contacted, TikTok assures that it has not received to date any notification relating to the legal proceedings launched by the Algos Victima collective. And the company would like to remind you that “protecting our community, and particularly the youngest, is a responsibility taken with the greatest seriousness”.
The platform also ensures that any content relating to suicide, acting out, suicidal attempts or thoughts, and self-harm is deleted. Between April and June 2024, 98.8% of videos deleted in violation of community rules were done proactively, with 91% not having been viewed, the company recalls.
And regarding the famous algorithms involved, TikTok recognizes that this is one of its “challenges inherent to its recommendation system”, this famous “For you” thread. The platform says it ensures that the recommended content is not too restrictive. Particularly when these videos are related to extreme sport, diets or sadness.
* The first name has been changed.
