started · updated
TikTok to pay Alabama at least $100 million in teen safety settlement
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have reached a settlement with the state of Alabama to resolve a lawsuit alleging the platform used addictive features and misled the public about safety protections for minors. The agreement, announced just days before a trial was set to begin in Montgomery, requires TikTok to pay Alabama a minimum of $100 million within 45 days. The total payout could reach $300 million if specific conditions are met, such as other state attorneys general joining similar agreements.
As part of the settlement, TikTok will implement several new safeguards for teen users in Alabama. These include a mandatory two-hour daily usage limit, overnight access restrictions between midnight and 6 a.m., and mandatory pauses after 15, 60, and 90 minutes of continuous use. The platform will also ban cosmetic filters for teenagers, set teen accounts to a non-personalized feed by default, and enhance parental controls and age-verification protocols.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall described the settlement as a victory for parents, stating it provides real protections to shield children from social media addiction. The lawsuit had previously alleged that TikTok's algorithm contributed to a mental health crisis by exposing young users to harmful content.
Entities
Alabama · Alabama Attorney General’s Office · ByteDance · Montgomery · Steve Marshall · TikTok
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 11 SOURCES] TikTok will pay Alabama a minimum of $100 million within 45 days. www.marquesina.mx · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · www.legalreader.com · americanbazaaronline.com · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The settlement resolves allegations that TikTok misled consumers about safety and used addictive features. www.marquesina.mx · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · www.legalreader.com · americanbazaaronline.com · +6 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] The company will implement a two-hour daily time limit for teenagers in Alabama. www.marquesina.mx · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · www.legalreader.com · nationalcybersecurity.com · +7 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The platform will ban cosmetic filters for teen users. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · www.legalreader.com · americanbazaaronline.com · www.insurancejournal.com · +6 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The settlement provides real protections to shield children from social media addiction. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.legalreader.com · www.insurancejournal.com
- [● 11 SOURCES] The settlement was reached days before a trial scheduled to begin in Montgomery. www.marquesina.mx · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · www.legalreader.com · americanbazaaronline.com · +6 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The total payment could reach $300 million if certain conditions are met. www.marquesina.mx · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · americanbazaaronline.com · www.insurancejournal.com · +5 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] Teen accounts will be unavailable from midnight to 6 a.m. nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.etailment.de · www.legalreader.com · nationalcybersecurity.com · americanbazaaronline.com · +7 more