TikTok and ByteDance reach $400M DOJ settlement over children's privacy

The U.S. Department of Justice has secured a $400 million settlement with TikTok and parent company ByteDance in a case related to children’s privacy legislation, the DOJ announced Friday. "This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents," Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. said in a statement. "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." The lawsuit, related to compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, was filed by the Biden administration’s DOJ in 2024. UK TO BAN TIKTOK, YOUTUBE, OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA APPS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16, STARMER SAYS The Justice Department said the settlement is one of the largest ever reached in a case involving the privacy act.