District Judge Cory Liu ruled that TikTok is liable for misleading parents about the safety of its platform and for exposing children to inappropriate content, making Texas the first state to win a judgment against the social media company. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit in January 2025, arguing that TikTok deceptively marketed its app as safe for minors despite regularly showing children inappropriate and explicit material.
Paxton also sued TikTok for violating the Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment Act by operating in a manner that endangers Texas children's online safety and privacy.
In his ruling, the judge found that TikTok claimed it would remove graphic videos depicting drugs, nudity, alcohol, injuries, and profanity. However, such videos remained accessible to minors on the platform, even under Restricted Mode, a feature the company markets as safe for younger users.
Attorney General Paxton will proceed to trial against TikTok, where the court will determine relief and penalties. The trial is expected to be scheduled for next month.