TikTok settles with Alabama ahead of first state trial over claims of teen harms

Alabama has reached a settlement with TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, agreeing to implement new safety measures and payment of at least US$100 million in response to claims the platform endangered children and misled users about its safety. The agreement requires TikTok to impose a two-hour daily time limit for teenagers in Alabama, introduce pauses after 15 minutes of use, and enforce stricter age checks.

If 40 other attorneys general join similar agreements with the company within a specified timeframe, Alabama's payout could increase to US$300 million. This marks TikTok's first settlement with a U.S. state in ongoing litigation over social media's impact on teen well-being, with at least 27 other states and Washington, D.C., bringing similar lawsuits.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who initiated the lawsuit last year, emphasized the agreement's significance for Alabama parents. The trial, scheduled to begin the following week, was expected to offer insight into TikTok's operations, but the settlement effectively ends all trials against the platform.