TikTok to pay $100m and impose child usage limits in Alabama settlement

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have agreed to pay the US state of Alabama $100 million and introduce new restrictions on children’s use of the platform.

The settlement, reached just before a jury trial was due to start, ends a lawsuit alleging the app is deliberately designed to addict children. Under the agreement TikTok must install safety features that limit children to two hours of daily use, and block access overnight and during school hours. These limits apply only in Alabama.

Additional safeguards

The company also has up to a year to put in place age‑verification measures, give parents greater control over their children’s accounts, restrict certain content, and prevent children’s profiles from being discovered by adults. A ban on cosmetic filters for children and notifications of “suspicious interactions” between teens and adults are also required.

The $100 million payment is due within 45 days, with a further penalty of up to $300 million if the conditions are not met. TikTok said the changes build on its commitment to robust safety tools for teens.

This is TikTok’s first settlement with a US state and follows a similar framework reached earlier between Meta and 52 state attorneys‑general.

Source: BBC News. Photo: Following NYC / Pexels.