Texas Judge Finds TikTok Liable for Misleading Parents on Child Safety

Texas Court Ruling Details Consumer Protection Violations

District Judge Cory Liu determined that TikTok intentionally misled the public regarding how effectively its features kept explicit material away from children. The state of Texas demonstrated during proceedings that graphic content involving drugs, alcohol, nudity, and violence remained accessible to minors even when accounts had “Restricted Mode” enabled. State filings also revealed that TikTok internally categorized certain content that broke its own community guidelines as “hard to find” rather than “do not allow,” which kept the material on the platform and reachable.

Attorney General Ken Paxton Pursues Child Safety Claims

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated the lawsuit in January 2025 under the state’s general consumer protection statute and the Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act. AG Paxton stated that TikTok “sacrificed the safety and innocence of children for engagement and numbers.” The litigation moved forward on two primary tracks, turning marketing promises about parental controls into legally binding obligations. Unlike many prior child safety settlements where companies paid financial sums without admitting liability, Judge Liu’s summary judgment establishes actual legal liability before the penalty phase begins.

Upcoming Trial and Potential Penalties

The case is scheduled to proceed to a trial next month to determine civil penalties, statutory damages, and a permanent injunction that could mandate operational changes for the app within Texas. TikTok has contested the claims, arguing in earlier filings that the SCOPE Act is unconstitutional and that federal children’s privacy regulations override state authority. An appeal is widely expected from the company as state-level regulatory pressure continues to mount across the United States.