TikTok to pay $100m and limit daily child usage in Alabama settlement
TikTok has agreed to a $100 million settlement with the state of Alabama to resolve a lawsuit alleging the platform is designed to addict children. The agreement mandates new safety features, including daily usage limits and stricter parental controls for minors in the state.
Why it matters
This marks the first state-level settlement for TikTok in the US, potentially setting a legal precedent for how social media companies are held accountable for their impact on youth mental health.
Image source, Getty Image caption, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world.
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance will pay the US state of Alabama $100m (£754.5m) and make a series of changes to restrict usage by children in the state as part of a lawsuit settlement.
The deal was reached just before a jury trial was set to begin on Monday. It ends a lawsuit alleging TikTok is intentionally designed to addict children, mirroring a host of similar lawsuits against social media platforms.
TikTok is now required to install a number of new safety features, including a two-hour daily usage limit for children and restrictions on usage overnight and during school hours.
The restrictions will only apply in Alabama. It marks the platform's first settlement with a US state.
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