TikTok pays $400 million to settle US child privacy lawsuit

TikTok and ByteDance have agreed to pay $400 million to settle a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit alleging violations of children's online privacy laws. The settlement, announced Friday, resolves a 2024 case accusing TikTok of allowing children under 13 to use the platform and collecting their personal information without parental consent. TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and $100 million later, and must enhance age-related controls and parental oversight. The agreement does not require an admission of wrongdoing. This is one of the largest settlements under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.