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TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to resolve a Department of Justice lawsuit filed in 2024 that accused the platform of breaching federal children’s privacy protections. The settlement requires the social media company to remit $300 million immediately, with an additional $100 million due once a previous consent decree tied to its predecessor company, Musical.ly, is vacated.
U.S. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. characterized the agreement as a significant achievement for protecting minors and families online. He emphasized that the resolution ensures companies handling children’s personal information comply with their legal responsibilities while securing substantial compensation and reinforcing safeguards families depend on.
The lawsuit centered on claims that TikTok and its China-based parent ByteDance violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data from users under 13 without parental authorization. Authorities also alleged the companies disregarded deletion requests from parents and maintained accounts belonging to children despite knowing their ages.
TikTok has undergone significant corporate restructuring since the lawsuit’s filing, most notably in January when it finalized ownership arrangements with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX to establish a new U.S.-focused joint venture. The company did not provide immediate comment on the settlement Friday.
The agreement reflects intensifying legal pressure facing major social platforms over youth safety and privacy. Meta Platforms is currently defending itself in federal court in Oakland, California, against similar allegations involving Instagram and violations of the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and state-level statutes.
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