TikTok to Pay Alabama at Least $100m to Settle Teen Safety Lawsuit
TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million to settle the state's lawsuit over the app's effect on children, Attorney General Steve Marshall's office said on Friday. The case had been due to go to trial on Monday.
The first payment is due within 45 days, according to the attorney general’s announcement. Alabama could receive up to $300 million in total if certain conditions are met, the office said, without giving details.
The extra money depends on other states reaching qualifying settlements with TikTok within a set period, the Associated Press reported.
As part of the deal, TikTok must limit teens to two hours a day, with parental controls. It must also add pauses after 15, 60, and 90 minutes of continuous use, block access between midnight and 6 am, and limit use during school hours.
Other changes include:
- Age checks
- Tighter controls on contact between adults and teens
- A ban on cosmetic filters for teen users
- A feed that is not personalized by default
Alabama sued TikTok in 2025, claiming the company designed the app to be addictive, exposed young users to serious mental health harms, and misled the public about its safety.
“Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction,” Marshall said of Alabama parents.
A spokesperson for TikTok’s US joint venture said the company’s priority has always been a safe and positive space for its users, the AP reported.
Marshall’s office called the deal a first-in-the-nation settlement. It follows a pattern of TikTok settling before juries hear its cases. In August, it settled three teen-harm cases that were due for trial in October.
However, TikTok has not avoided every ruling. Earlier this month, a Texas judge found it liable for misleading parents about child safety.
Meanwhile, Meta agreed in August to pay up to $16.68 billion to settle a youth safety case brought by 29 states.
Written by Ana-Maria Stanciuc, Editor-in-Chief at TNW.