TikTok, ByteDance agree to US$400 million settlement with US over children’s privacy suit
TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance have agreed to pay US$400 million to settle a US Justice Department lawsuit accusing the video-sharing app of violating children’s online privacy laws, resolving a major federal case as the platform’s American operations remain under intense political scrutiny. The settlement, announced on Friday, resolves allegations brought by the Justice Department and…
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have reached a $400 million settlement with the US government to resolve a lawsuit alleging the video-sharing app violated children's online privacy laws. The agreement, announced on Friday, ends a major federal case that began in 2024 when the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission accused TikTok and ByteDance of collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, in breach of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The settlement, deemed "one of the largest recoveries ever obtained" in a COPPA case by the Justice Department, requires TikTok to pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million if a court overturns a 2019 consent decree related to Musical.ly, TikTok's predecessor. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward emphasized the department's commitment to protecting children online and ensuring companies comply with legal obligations.
The government's priority is to provide American families with stronger privacy protections without the delays and uncertainties of prolonged litigation, according to the Justice Department. TikTok did not immediately comment on the settlement.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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