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 over allegations of violating federal children’s privacy laws.
- The settlement includes an immediate payment of $300 million and an additional $100 million after vacating a prior consent decree against Musical.ly.
- The lawsuit claimed TikTok and its parent company ByteDance failed to obtain parental consent for collecting personal information from children under 13.
- This resolution is seen as a significant step for protecting children's online privacy, according to U.S. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr.
- Since the lawsuit, TikTok has changed its ownership structure in the U.S. by forming a joint venture with major investors.
TikTok has reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, concluding a lawsuit that accused the company of violating federal children’s privacy laws. The settlement includes an immediate payment of $300 million and an additional $100 million contingent on the vacating of a previous consent decree against its predecessor company, Musical.ly.
The lawsuit alleged that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, failed to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under the age of 13. It also claimed that the companies did not honor requests from parents to delete their children's accounts, even when they were aware those accounts belonged to minors.
U.S. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. described the settlement as a significant victory for children and parents, emphasizing the importance of protecting children online. The resolution is part of a broader trend where social media companies are facing increased scrutiny and lawsuits regarding children's safety and privacy.
Since the lawsuit was filed, TikTok has undergone major changes, particularly in its ownership structure in the U.S., forming a joint venture with investors such as Oracle and Silver Lake. This settlement may influence the ongoing discussions and regulations surrounding children's privacy in the digital space.
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，结束了指控该公司违反联邦儿童隐私法的诉讼。和解包括立即支付3亿美元，以及在撤销对其前身Musical.ly的先前同意令后支付1亿美元。
诉讼声称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时获得父母同意。还声称这些公司未能满足父母要求删除其子女账户的请求，即使他们知道这些账户属于未成年人。
美国副助理总检察长斯坦利·伍德沃德表示，此和解是儿童和父母的重要胜利，强调保护儿童在线安全的重要性。此和解是社交媒体公司面临越来越多关于儿童安全和隐私的审查和诉讼的一个部分。
自诉讼提起以来，TikTok在美国的所有权结构发生了重大变化，与Oracle和Silver Lake等投资者成立了合资企业。此和解可能会影响围绕儿童隐私的持续讨论和监管。