TikTok will pay Alabama a minimum of $100 million and could owe as much as $300 million, settling state claims that it misled users about safety and built its app to addict children. The deal landed days before the case was due to become the first of its kind to reach trial, and it forces new limits on how young users can use the platform.
Settled Before Trial
The settlement was announced in late September, days before Alabama was set to become the first state to take its child-safety claims against TikTok to a jury. The trial had been scheduled for Monday, and the agreement removes it from the calendar.
The Money
TikTok will pay at least $100 million, due within 45 days, and the total could reach $300 million depending on conditions set out in the agreement. Alabama’s attorney general described it as a first-in-the-nation and historic settlement.
The Allegations
The state accused TikTok of designing its platform with addictive features, knowingly exposing young users to mental-health harms, and misleading the public about how safe the app is. The company did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the deal.
Time Limits And Pauses
TikTok agreed to a two-hour daily limit for underage users, backed by parental controls, plus productive pauses that interrupt teen users after fifteen minutes of continuous scrolling and again at sixty and ninety minutes.
Overnight And School Hours
The platform will restrict access for children between midnight and 6 a.m., and limit messaging and push notifications overnight and during school hours. Cosmetic filter restrictions for younger users are also part of the agreement.
Age Checks And Moderation
The deal requires stronger age-assurance measures to verify how old users are, tighter content moderation, limits on adults discovering teen accounts, and parental notification when interactions between adults and teens look suspicious.
What Each Side Said
Attorney General Steve Marshall said parents in the state can now rest easier knowing real protections are in place against social-media addiction. TikTok said the agreement builds on its commitment to continually enhance its safety tools to protect teens.
A Wider Reckoning
The Alabama deal follows a $400 million settlement TikTok reached with the U.S. Department of Justice in August over allegations it violated children’s privacy laws. The company faces continued legal pressure from states over how its platform affects young users, and this settlement is likely to shape what other states demand next.
