Sixteen French families have filed a complaint against social media giant TikTok for "exploitation of vulnerability", the second such collective complaint by families who say their children harmed themselves, or even ended their lives, allegedly because of content they consumed on the platform.
Sixteen families – 39 people in total – are involved, including five families whose daughters died by suicide, according to Franceinfo radio.
The others are acting on behalf of eleven children who suffer from anorexia, depression, or suicidal thoughts.
The families filing the complaint with the Paris public prosecutor’s office are part of the 'Algos Victima' collective, created by lawyer Laure Boutron-Marmion, who previously represented seven families in a joint legal complaint against TikTok in France in 2024.
The public prosecutor’s opened an investigation into Tiktok’s impact on children’s mental health in October 2025.
Boutron-Marmion has argued that the platform exploits the vulnerability of minors, and she has called the situation as a "public health emergency" requiring stricter content moderation.
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TikTok claims it has put in place measures to protect the health of teenaged users, including "over 50 features and settings designed to ensure the safety and well-being of adolescents".
Meanwhile, a bill that would ban children under 15 years old from social media platforms is being adopted and could come into force in September.
