TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million and introduce new restrictions on children’s use of the platform as part of a settlement with the US state.
The settlement, announced by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Friday, resolves allegations that TikTok used features designed to keep children on the platform and failed to adequately protect young users.
The case had been scheduled to go to trial on Monday.
Under the agreement, TikTok will impose a two-hour daily limit on children’s use of the platform, while parents will be able to set stricter limits.
The platform will also introduce overnight restrictions between midnight and 6am, as well as restrictions on messaging and push notifications during school hours.
TikTok will also be required to introduce stronger age-verification measures and parental controls, restrict the discoverability of teen accounts by adults and notify parents about suspicious interactions between teenagers and adults.
The settlement also prohibits teen users from using cosmetic filters and requires TikTok to provide a default non-personalised feed for teen users.
The new time restrictions and other safety measures are part of a broader set of changes the company must implement under the agreement.
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Alabama will receive the initial $100 million payment within 45 days. The state could receive up to $300 million if additional conditions outlined in the settlement are met.
The agreement marks the first settlement between TikTok and a US state over allegations concerning the platform’s impact on children. Alabama’s case was set to become the first state lawsuit against TikTok to go to trial.
TikTok has faced increasing scrutiny in the United States over how social media platforms affect children and teenagers.
The Alabama settlement follows a separate multi-state agreement involving Meta over similar allegations concerning the safety of young users.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
