TikTok Agrees to Pay Alabama at Least $100M in Child Safety Settlement

TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million to settle allegations that the platform misled users about safety and was designed to addict children, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled to begin Monday.

According to the Alabama attorney general’s office, the total payment could reach $300 million if certain conditions are met.

TikTok agrees to new safeguards for minors

As part of the settlement, TikTok will introduce a two-hour daily time limit for underage users, additional parental controls, restrictions on overnight use and limits on cosmetic filters.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the agreement gives parents stronger protections against what the state described as the risks of social media addiction among children.

TikTok said the settlement builds on its existing efforts to strengthen protections for teenagers. In a statement reported by The New York Times, the company said the agreement supports its goal of continually improving safety tools for teens.

The Alabama settlement follows another major legal agreement involving TikTok. In August, the company reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that it violated children’s privacy laws.