TikTok to Pay $100 Million to Restrict Children's Usage in Alabama

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed in the state of Alabama alleging that children were made addicted to the platform. In addition to a $100 million payment, the company pledged to introduce strict restrictions on daily usage time and content access for child users.

Details of the Settlement and Sanctions

Under the agreement reached prior to the jury trial, TikTok will pay $100 million to the state of Alabama. The payment is planned to be completed within 45 days, and it was stated that if the specified safety conditions are not met, the company could face an additional penalty of up to $300 million.

New Restrictions for Child Users

Pursuant to the agreement, TikTok will introduce a daily two-hour usage limit for child users in Alabama. Additionally, restrictions on platform usage during nighttime and school hours will be put into effect.

The platform will implement age verification systems within a year. The discovery of children's accounts by adults will be restricted, parents will be notified of suspicious interactions, and cosmetic filters targeted at children will be banned.

Statements from Authorities and the Company

Katherine Robertson from the Alabama Attorney General's Office described the reached agreement as a restrictive preliminary injunction. A TikTok spokesperson stated that the company is committed to developing tools aimed at enhancing the safety of youth.