TikTok to pay $400M to settle DOJ child privacy lawsuit
The US DOJ announced TikTok will pay $400 million to settle a 2024 COPPA lawsuit over collecting children's data without parental consent.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- TikTok agrees to pay $400 million to settle a child privacy lawsuit
- The DOJ calls the settlement one of the largest recoveries ever in a COPPA case
- TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and $100 million upon a future court order
The US Department of Justice announced on Friday that TikTok has agreed to pay 400 million dollars to settle a lawsuit filed in 2024 over allegations of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, commonly known as COPPA.
In the official legal filings, the DOJ alleged that TikTok gathered data from minor users without properly notifying their parents or securing verifiable consent. Furthermore, the lawsuit claimed the platform failed to delete accounts when requested by parents.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
According to a DOJ press release, TikTok is scheduled to pay 300 million dollars right away. The remaining 100 million dollars will be paid "upon entry of an order vacating a prior consent decree entered against TikTok’s predecessor, Musical.ly."
The DOJ also pointed out that TikTok has undergone substantial changes regarding its ownership, management structure, compliance functions, and overall privacy practices since the legal action was initially brought.
"One of the largest recoveries ever obtained in a COPPA case."
US Department of Justice
Additionally, authorities noted that TikTok has implemented extensive measures designed to strengthen safeguards for younger users, improve age-related controls, and enhance parental oversight capabilities on the application.
Enforcement actions under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) serve as a critical benchmark for how digital platforms handle minor user data in the United States. This substantial settlement underscores the rising regulatory pressure on social media giants to strictly enforce age verification and secure verifiable parental consent, shifting industry standards toward rigorous compliance.
Source: The Verge
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment