TikTok to Pay Alabama at Least $100 Million in Child Safety Settlement
TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million to settle allegations that the short-form video app misled users about its safety features and was intentionally designed to keep children hooked on the platform.
The settlement arrived just before the case was set to go to trial on Monday. Alabama officials said the total payment could climb as high as $300 million if certain conditions are met.
As part of the agreement, TikTok will also roll out new protections for younger users in Alabama. These include a two-hour daily screen time limit for minors, expanded parental controls, restrictions on overnight use, and limits on cosmetic filters that can alter a user’s appearance.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the deal gives families stronger safeguards against the risks of social media addiction. He said parents can “rest easier” knowing new protections are being put in place to help shield children from harmful online habits.
TikTok responded by saying the settlement reflects its ongoing effort to improve safety tools for teenagers. The company said it remains focused on strengthening protections for younger users and giving families more control over how teens interact with the app.
The Alabama settlement adds to the growing legal pressure TikTok faces in the United States over child safety, teen mental health, privacy, and the addictive design of social media platforms. Regulators and state officials have increasingly questioned whether platforms that rely on endless scrolling, personalized recommendations, and engagement-based algorithms are doing enough to protect children.
The agreement also follows a separate $400 million settlement TikTok reached with the Department of Justice in August over allegations related to violations of child privacy laws.
The new Alabama deal could become an important example for other states examining how social media companies handle underage users. With concerns rising over screen time, online addiction, data privacy, and the mental health impact of social apps, TikTok and other platforms are likely to face continued scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and parents.
