TikTok settles with US Justice Department for $400m over child privacy laws | Social Media
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced a $400 million settlement with TikTok, following allegations that the social media platform violated children’s online privacy laws. The settlement resolves concerns regarding TikTok’s compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which mandates that services directed at children must obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from users under the age of 13.
Announced on Friday, the settlement involves TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, along with its affiliated entities. The DOJ filed a lawsuit against TikTok and ByteDance in 2024, accusing the platform of knowingly allowing children to create regular accounts, enabling them to produce and share videos and messages with adults and other users. Additionally, the lawsuit asserted that TikTok collected personal information from these minors without securing parental consent.
Under the terms of the settlement, TikTok will pay the DOJ $300 million immediately, with an additional $100 million to be remitted upon the cancellation of a previous settlement involving TikTok’s predecessor, Musical.ly.
“This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. in a news release. “The Department’s priority is ensuring that children are protected online and that companies entrusted with their personal information meet their legal obligations. This resolution secures a substantial recovery while reinforcing the protections that families expect and deserve.”
In January, ByteDance committed to establishing a majority U.S.-owned joint venture aimed at safeguarding domestic data, which was seen as a measure to prevent a potential ban on TikTok, a platform that serves more than 200 million users in the United States.
The DOJ noted that since initiating legal proceedings, TikTok has significantly enhanced its safeguards to protect children’s privacy. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division remarked, “This settlement reflects substantial progress, secures a significant monetary recovery, and brings this matter to a successful conclusion.”
Al Jazeera has sought comment from TikTok regarding the settlement.
