Utah
TikTok knew livestreams exploited kids — but turned a blind eye and ‘profited significantly’: Utah suit
TikTok has long known its video livestreams encourage sexual conduct and exploit children yet turned a blind eye because it “profited significantly” from them, according to newly unsealed material in a lawsuit by the state of Utah.
The accusations were made public on Friday, ahead of a scheduled Jan. 19 ban on TikTok in the United States unless its China-based owner, ByteDance, sells the popular social media app.
President-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to put that ban on hold.
TikTok, for its part, has said it prioritizes safe livestreaming.
Utah’s original lawsuit accusing TikTok of exploiting children was filed last June by the state’s Division of Consumer Protection, with state Attorney General Sean Reyes saying the TikTok Live streaming feature created a “virtual strip club” by connecting victims to adult predators in real time.
Citing internal TikTok employee communications and compliance reports, Friday’s largely unredacted complaint said TikTok learned of the threats Live posed through a series of internal reviews into the feature.
It said a probe known as Project Meramec uncovered in early 2022 how hundreds of thousands of 13-to-15-year-olds bypassed Live’s minimum-age restrictions.
It said many children were then allegedly “groomed” by adults to perform sexual acts, sometimes involving nudity, in exchange for virtual gifts.
The complaint also said a probe launched in 2021, Project Jupiter, found that criminals used Live to launder money, sell drugs and fund terrorism including by Islamic State.
In addition, an internal December 2023 study “documented what TikTok admits is ‘the cruelty’ of maintaining Live with its current risks for minors on the app,” the complaint said.
User safety
TikTok had fought the disclosures, citing confidentiality concerns and its interest in “preventing potential bad actors from getting a roadmap” to misuse the app.
A Utah state judge, Coral Sanchez, ordered the release of much of the previously redacted material on Dec. 19.
“This lawsuit ignores the number of proactive measures that TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support community safety and well-being,” a TikTok spokesperson said on Friday.
“Instead, the complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and outdated documents and presents them out of context, which distorts our commitment to the safety of our community,” the spokesperson added.
In October, a bipartisan group of 13 states and Washington, DC, separately sued TikTok for allegedly exploiting children and addicting them to the app.
“Social media is too often the tool for exploiting America’s young people,” Reyes said in a statement on Friday.
“Thanks to Judge Sanchez’s ruling, more of TikTok’s shocking conduct will now be public through this unredacted complaint,” he added. “(The) full extent of its culpability can be demonstrated at trial.”
President Joe Biden signed a law authorizing the TikTok ban last April, addressing concern TikTok could gather intelligence on American users and share it with the Chinese government.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether to put the ban on hold on Jan. 10. It is expected to rule quickly.
Utah
Springlike heat surges across Utah; only isolated showers
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A little mid-level moisture will drift across Utah this weekend, but most areas will stay dry.
A few very isolated mountain showers are possible, mainly in the afternoons, but nothing widespread.
The big story is the heat. High pressure will build in, pushing temperatures 15–20 degrees above normal.
It will feel more like late spring, with many areas nearing or breaking March records, especially across central and southern Utah.
Overall, expect a warm, mostly dry weekend, with just a small chance for a quick mountain shower. Rain chances increase significantly later next week.
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Utah
Case dismissed for Wyoming man charged with allegedly kidnapping missing Utah girl – East Idaho News
POCATELLO — After a search for a missing Utah girl resulted in the arrest of a Wyoming man last November, a motion was accepted to dismiss the man’s case.
Anthony Holm of Star Valley, Wyoming, was originally charged on Nov. 17 with one felony count of second-degree kidnapping, but these charges were dismissed on March 17 during his preliminary hearing.
According to court documents, Bannock County Prosecutor Alan Boehme filed a motion to dismiss the case against Holm, as Utah will bring charges against him.
The motion was granted by Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman.
EastIdahoNews.com checked Utah court records, and no charges have been filed at the time of publication.
RELATED | Man arrested on kidnapping charges; missing Utah juvenile located safely
RELATED | Wyoming man charged with kidnapping thought teenager was 18, court documents say
The original incident occurred on Nov. 14, when Bannock County Sheriff’s deputies were contacted by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office in Utah, which requested assistance in locating a missing juvenile.
The juvenile was believed to be with Holm, who was driving a 2024 Ford Bronco, and was suspected to be in the Lava Hot Springs area.
Court documents state that the vehicle was spotted at a hotel in Lava Hot Springs; however, the license plate did not match the reported one. Bannock County Dispatch reported that the vehicle belonged to Holm, and later confirmed that he was staying at the hotel.
Deputies spoke with Holm and the 16-year-old girl outside of a hotel room.
When asked by deputies how he knew the girl, he said they met on the app Ashley Madison the day before, and that the girl told him she was 18.
RELATED | Ashley Madison isn’t the only place to cheat. Infidelity thrives on social media
Deputies spoke with the 16-year-old, who confirmed that she had told Holm she was 18, but did not want the man to go to jail. She later told deputies the plan was for them to stay in Lava Hot Springs to swim and spend the night there.
Documents state that in Willard, Utah, Holm had picked up the juvenile and traveled to Salt Lake City, where the two stayed at a hotel, before traveling to Idaho.
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Utah
Utah Falls in Emotional, Physical Game Against Capitals | Utah Mammoth
Utah’s power play went 2-for-4, and it was the first time the Mammoth have scored two power play goals in a game since the last time they played the Capitals (Mar. 3, at Washington). Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley each capitalized on the man-advantage in the first period. Cooley was added to the top unit with Barrett Hayton out of the lineup (week-to-week, upper-body injury), and he shared what was working for the top unit.
“Just trying to establish a shot,” Cooley explained. “Trying to build off that and then things start to open up. We have a lot of great players on that unit that can make a lot of plays, and I think when we establish a shot first (mentality) that’s when we’re going to get our opportunities, and find seams and different rebounds like that.”
“They were rolling,” Tourigny said of the power play. “The way they were attacking, the way they were direct, they were really aggressive. They were intentional, their aggressiveness, that paid off.”
In addition to his power play goal, Guenther also scored three minutes and 55 seconds later. The forward has six multi-goal efforts this season and he set a new career-high in points (61). This is his second consecutive season with 60 or more points. Guenther has been a consistent scorer for the Mammoth as he has nine goals in the month of March and has scored eight of those in the last 11 games. He trails on Boston’s Pavel Zacha (9) for the league lead in that span.
MacKenzie Weegar scored his first goal as a member of the Mammoth in the third period. He’s contributed a point in two-straight games and has grown his role with Utah. In addition to playing alongside alternate captain Mikhail Sergachev on the top d-pairing, Weegar contributes to both sides of special teams.
It’s a close playoff race in the Western Conference and Utah is still in the first wildcard spot. However, the Mammoth will need to raise their game, keep a high level of intensity, and manage their emotions in the final nine games of the regular season. Utah’s next game is a tough test against the Los Angeles Kings on the road.
“Everyone’s gotta look in the mirror, we all got better and we all know that,” Keller said. “Still super confident with our group. This is the most exciting part of the year and the most exciting hockey. We’re all positive, and we’ll learn from it and go to L.A..”
“Yeah, I think we started out good,” Cooley reflected. “Special teams were good. I thought the first period, we were moving it well. I think we kind of just started to let it slip, give up some odd-man rushes, and they capitalized. Every game is so important right now, and it stings. It’s two points that we probably should have had, especially early on with the way we were playing. We got to make sure that we are ready for a heck of a battle with L.A.”
Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)
- Sergachev registered three assists in the first period marking the first three-assist frame of his NHL career. This also marked his second career three-point period, both of which have come against Washington, as well as his fourth three-point game this season.
- Alexander Kerfoot posted an assist on Weegar’s third-period goal, marking his 300th career NHL point. He is the 16th player from his draft class to reach that milestone. He joins Sergachev as the second skater to accomplish the feat with Utah.
- Keller posted three primary assists tonight for his eighth three-point game, third three-assist game, 23rd multi-point game, and 13th multi-assist game in 2025-26, all of which are team highs. The Captain has seven points over his last six games (3G, 4A).
- Utah’s captain has tallied at least 70 points for the fourth consecutive season and he became the 12th NHL player to accomplish this feat over that stretch. According to NHL PR, Keller is the fifth player in NHL history to eclipse the 70-point mark in each of a franchise’s first two seasons.
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