DES MOINES — November 12, 2026 — An Iowa District Court has denied TikTok’s request to dismiss new claims added to the state’s lawsuit in April, claims that the company deceived Iowans about how addictive its app is for kids and about its ties to China’s communist government. The ruling is an important win for the state in its case against the social media giant.

Attorney General Brenna Bird sued TikTok in January 2024 for deceiving Iowans, particularly parents, by lying about children’s widespread access to inappropriate content on its social media app. In April 2026, she amended the lawsuit to assert that TikTok knowingly designed its app to be addictive to children and teens, and that the platform misled users on the ability of the Chinese government to access their personal data.

“I sued TikTok because their addictive algorithm hurts kids and because they hid the truth about the Chinese Communist government’s access to Iowans’ data,” said Attorney General Bird. “As a mom and a prosecutor, I will never stop fighting Big Tech companies and holding them accountable. Today’s victory is an important step forward as we ensure Iowans’ children are protected and data is secure.”

Iowa is seeking a permanent injunction under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act to force TikTok to stop its deceptive, misleading, false and unfair statements and conduct, with a special focus on misleading conduct relating to kids and its connection to the Chinese Communist Party. The state is also seeking civil penalties.