1 week ago
TikTok Agrees to $400 Million US Child Privacy Settlement
The U.S. government accused TikTok of not doing enough to protect children’s private information.
Officials said some children younger than 13 used TikTok without their parents’ permission.
They also said TikTok collected information such as email addresses and made account deletion difficult for parents.
TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, agreed to pay $400 million to settle the case.
The settlement still needs court approval.
TikTok will pay $300 million first and possibly another $100 million later.
That second payment depends on ending an older agreement involving Musical.ly, which became part of TikTok.
TikTok’s U.S. joint venture says it checks ages and removes many accounts belonging to children under 13.
The settlement resolves this government case, but TikTok still faces other child-safety scrutiny and lawsuits.
TikTok and ByteDance agreed to a proposed $400 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.
The 2024 lawsuit alleged TikTok collected data from millions of children under 13 without parental consent.
Authorities also alleged that TikTok made it difficult for parents to delete children’s accounts.
TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and $100 million if Musical.ly’s earlier consent decree is vacated.
TikTok’s U.S. joint venture says it requires birth dates and deletes tens of thousands of identified underage accounts.
- Who
- TikTok, ByteDance, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission.
- What
- A proposed $400 million settlement resolving allegations that TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
- Where
- The United States.
- When
- The settlement was announced Friday; the lawsuit was filed in 2024, following a 2019 Musical.ly consent decree.
- Why
- The government alleged that TikTok collected personal information from children under 13 without verified parental consent and failed to consistently honor deletion requests.
Government allegations
TikTok safeguards and settlement claims
Collection of children’s data
Government allegations
The Justice Department and FTC alleged that TikTok and ByteDance allowed millions of children under 13 to use the platform and collected information without informing parents or obtaining consent. The allegations included email addresses and other data collected through Kids Mode.
TikTok safeguards and settlement claims
TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its U.S. joint venture said all users must provide their dates of birth and that age-moderation systems identify children who misrepresent their ages.
Deleting underage accounts
Government allegations
The lawsuit alleged that TikTok made it difficult for parents to request deletion and sometimes failed to delete accounts it knew belonged to children under 13.
TikTok safeguards and settlement claims
The TikTok U.S. joint venture said it employs hundreds of personnel trained in underage moderation and deletes tens of thousands of accounts identified as belonging to underage users.
Court oversight
Government allegations
The proposed settlement would remove court oversight tied to the earlier Musical.ly consent decree if a court vacates that order.
TikTok safeguards and settlement claims
The Justice Department said TikTok’s changes in ownership, management, compliance functions, and privacy practices support stronger protections without prolonged litigation.
Key facts
- Total settlement
- $400 million, subject to court approval
- Initial payment
- $300 million
- Conditional payment
- $100 million after a court order vacates the prior Musical.ly consent decree
- Law involved
- The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA
- 2024 allegations
- TikTok allowed children under 13 to use the platform and collected personal information without parental consent
- Earlier Musical.ly settlement
- $5.7 million paid in 2019 over alleged collection of children’s information without parental permission
- Reported safeguards
- TikTok’s U.S. joint venture says users must provide dates of birth and that tens of thousands of underage accounts are deleted
Quotes
U.S. Department of Justice
The federal department announcing the settlement
“Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million upon entry of an order vacating a prior consent decree entered against TikTok's predecessor, Musical.ly”
NDTV
“This investigation will seek to establish whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that TikTok has failed, or is failing, to comply with its legal obligations.”
firstpost.com
Henna Virkkunen
European Union technology chief
“TikTok's account settings fail to meet this standard, as they expose minors' accounts and content too widely.”
firstpost.com
“A high level of protection should not be an opt-in; it should be the default.”
firstpost.com
Stanley E. Woodward Jr.
US Associate Attorney General who issued a statement about the settlement
“This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents. 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.”
deccanchronicle.com
livemint.com
CNBC TV 18
wionews.com
freepressjournal.in
Sources
TikTok to pay $400 million to settle US child privacy case
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TikTok To Pay $400 Million Settlement In US Children's Privacy Case
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TikTok To Pay $400 Million To Settle US Lawsuit Over Alleged Children's Privacy Law Violations
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