The suit says videos by Kentucky small businesses were identified as possibly of interest to the senator, who has expressed concern about the app's effect on kidsA lawsuit filed by the Kentucky attorney general says TikTok considered ways to use its content to appeal to Sen. Mitch McConnell.TikTok developed an internal strategy for using content on its platform to win favor from Kentucky Sen.
Kentucky was acting along with 12 other states and the District of Columbia in suing TikTok last week after a two-and-a-half year investigation. They allege the platform is designed to addict kids and the company deceived the public about the potential risks it poses. “I think it's so funny, because there's probably not a politician that I like less,” Berry said. “They promoted us; we didn't pay them anything. They gave us a billboard. They put us out in advertisements. It was supposed to how Tiktok can help small businesses. And at the time, I mean, it was helping us.”
According to the lawsuit, other small businesses on the platform that TikTok staff thought might interest McConnell were an ammunition and bait store in northern Kentucky, a rural internet company in central Kentucky and a record store in Louisville that closed at the end of 2022. The information on the businesses appeared dated to a couple years ago.