TikTok will pay $400mn over children’s privacy, a number Europe reached in 2023
ThinkingNews Desk · how this was written
TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to settle a Justice Department lawsuit alleging violations of children’s privacy. The settlement resolves the federal government’s claims that the platform failed to protect minors’ personal data. The payment amount is the same figure reported across multiple outlets.
Written from all 4 reports below, not from any single one.
How it was reported
- TechCrunch·TikTok reaches $400M settlement over children’s privacy lawsuit
TikTok and ByteDance will pay $400 million to the U.S. Department of Justice to settle COPPA violations. The settlement mandates stricter age verification, increased parental oversight, and new safeguards for users under 13. It follows a 2019 Musical.ly settlement and comes amid scrutiny of TikTok’s algorithmic changes affecting 10% of U.S. users.
- Engadget·TikTok will pay $400 million to settle Justice Department lawsuit over child privacy
TikTok and ByteDance agreed to pay $400 million to the Justice Department to resolve a 2024 lawsuit alleging violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The settlement follows the creation of TikTok USDS Joint Venture, a new U.S. entity controlled by investors such as Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9% stake. The payment includes $300 million immediately and $100 million after the prior FTC settlement is vacated.
- The Verge·TikTok will pay $400 million to settle DOJ child privacy lawsuit
TikTok will pay $400 million to settle a 2024 DOJ lawsuit alleging violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The company will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million when a court vacates a prior consent decree against its predecessor, Musical.ly. The settlement is among the largest recoveries in similar cases.
- The Next Web·TikTok will pay $400mn over children’s privacy, a number Europe reached in 2023
TikTok and its parent ByteDance will pay $400 million to settle a U.S. Justice Department case that alleged millions of users under 13 were allowed on the platform and their data used for targeted ads without parental consent, with $300 million due immediately. The settlement also requires stronger age-verification controls, safeguards for younger users and enhanced parental oversight tools, echoing Europe’s €345 million fine and ongoing Digital Services Act enforcement.
Related stories
- TikTok reaches a settlement with Alabama over social media addiction claims; Alabama will receive at least $100M, and up to $300M if certain conditions are met (Gnaneshwar Rajan/Reuters)4 outlets
- EU charges TikTok with failing to protect children’s privacy under the DSA3 outlets
- White House administration set to be paid $10B for brokering TikTok deal3 outlets
- Source: the TikTok US deal values it at just around $14B; TikTok's US entity makes roughly $14B annually in advertising revenues alone, per analyst estimates (Sara Fischer/Axios)4 outlets