TikTok reaches $400 million settlement with US Justice Department over children's privacy
- TikTok has reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, ending a 2024 lawsuit.
- The DOJ stated that TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and another $100 million after an order vacates an earlier consent decree.
- The lawsuit alleged that TikTok violated federal children's privacy laws by failing to obtain parental consent for children under 13.
- Since the lawsuit, TikTok has undergone major changes in its U.S. ownership structure, forming a new joint venture.
- The settlement reflects ongoing scrutiny of social media companies regarding children's safety and privacy.
TikTok has reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, concluding a lawsuit from 2024 that accused the company of violating federal children’s privacy laws. The settlement includes an immediate payment of $300 million, with an additional $100 million to be paid once an earlier consent decree against its predecessor company, Musical.ly, is vacated.
The lawsuit focused on allegations that TikTok and its parent company ByteDance failed to obtain parental consent for children under 13 before collecting their personal information. It also claimed that the companies did not honor requests from parents to delete their children’s accounts.
Since the DOJ's lawsuit, TikTok has made significant changes to its U.S. operations, including forming a new joint venture with major investors like Oracle and Silver Lake. This settlement is seen as a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of social media companies regarding the safety and privacy of children online.
TikTok与美国司法部达成4亿美元儿童隐私和解
TikTok与美国司法部达成4亿美元和解，结束了一起指控该公司违反联邦儿童隐私法的2024年诉讼。和解包括立即支付3亿美元，另外1亿美元将在撤销早前针对其前身公司Musical.ly的同意令后支付。
诉讼的焦点是TikTok及其母公司字节跳动未能在收集13岁以下儿童的个人信息前获得父母同意。诉讼还声称这些公司未能满足父母要求删除儿童账户的请求。
自美国司法部提起诉讼以来，TikTok在美国的运营发生了重大变化，包括与甲骨文和银湖等主要投资者成立新的合资企业。此次和解被视为社交媒体公司在儿童在线安全和隐私方面持续审查的重要进展。