TikTok, along with its parent company ByteDance, has agreed to a settlement worth $400 million with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to address claims that the platform breached federal regulations aimed at safeguarding children’s online privacy.
This legal matter began with a lawsuit initiated by the DOJ in 2024 during the Biden administration. The DOJ accused TikTok of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by permitting millions of children under 13 to access the platform and collect their personal information without obtaining proper parental consent.
As part of the settlement, TikTok will pay $400 million and implement various measures to enhance protections for younger users. These initiatives include improved age verification checks, additional safeguards for minors, and tools to give parents greater oversight of their children’s online activities and personal data. However, TikTok and ByteDance are not required to acknowledge any wrongdoing as part of this agreement.
The lawsuit accused TikTok of allowing many children to remain on the platform for extended periods, despite already facing federal scrutiny over children’s privacy issues in 2019. At that time, the company settled claims related to its predecessor, Musical.ly, for $5.7 million, agreeing to take precautionary measures to prevent children under 13 from creating accounts.
Nonetheless, allegations indicated that TikTok had continued to struggle with effectively identifying and removing underage users. Reports suggested that the company retained and utilized data belonging to minors, including information suitable for targeted advertising, even after employees expressed concerns regarding the presence of young users.
Additionally, it was claimed that TikTok modified its registration policies in ways that hindered the ability to ascertain users’ ages accurately.
This settlement arrives amidst growing scrutiny regarding TikTok’s user safety protocols. Just prior to the announcement, it was reported that TikTok had intentionally deactivated a protective algorithm for about 10% of U.S. users as part of an experimental approach. This safeguard was originally intended to limit exposure to harmful or damaging content.
This revelation has sparked criticism among lawmakers, with Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut addressing a letter to TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew and Adam Presser, the head of the company’s U.S. operations, demanding clarification regarding the decision.
