TikTok reaches $100 million settlement with Alabama: 2-hour daily limit to be imposed on youth

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have agreed to a $100 million settlement in a legal process conducted with the U.S. state of Alabama. The agreement comes at a time when debates regarding the platform's impact on child and youth users are ongoing.

Under the settlement, TikTok will implement a 2-hour daily usage limit for child and youth users in Alabama. The regulation will not be limited to just time restrictions; additional measures restricting access during nighttime hours and school hours will also be put into effect.

WHAT MEASURES ARE IN THE AGREEMENT?

According to the agreement, TikTok will strengthen its age verification systems and offer new tools to increase parental control over accounts. The platform is also expected to make it more difficult for adults to find the accounts of young users and to send alerts to parents regarding suspicious interactions.

The removal of cosmetic filters aimed at children is also among the terms of the settlement. It is stated that these steps aim to ensure a safer experience for young users on the platform.

According to the financial terms, TikTok will make the initial $100 million payment within 45 days. If the company fails to comply with the settlement conditions, it could face additional penalties of up to $300 million to be paid to Alabama.

TikTok has been granted up to one year to complete the regulations. It was reported that the agreement takes Meta's approach as a model for certain child safety practices.

News Source: 12punto