TikTok to pay Alabama at least $100m in teen-safety settlement

TikTok has agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million and introduce a range of safety measures for teenagers under a settlement reached shortly before a trial was due to begin. Alabama sued TikTok in 2025, alleging that the platform’s personalised algorithm and other addictive features harmed children and that the company knew about those risks. The state would have been the first to present similar claims against TikTok before a jury.

Under the agreement, teenagers in Alabama will be able to choose a non-personalised content feed. TikTok will also prohibit cosmetic-procedure filters for teen users, impose a two-hour daily limit and block nighttime use between midnight and 6am. Users will receive prompts to take a “productive pause” after 15 minutes of continuous use, and again after 60 and 90 minutes.

Teen accounts will be private by default, while the company must strengthen parental controls, age verification and content moderation. The $100 million payment is intended for restitution and remediation and may support youth mental-health services and other programmes. Alabama could receive a further $183.8 million if enough other states reach qualifying settlements with TikTok within the specified period.

Katherine Robertson, chief counsel in the Alabama attorney general’s office, said parents and young people were facing pressure from multiple platforms. A TikTok USDS Joint Venture spokesperson said the company’s priority had always been providing a safe and positive space and that the settlement built on its safety work. TikTok has also settled other lawsuits, including a $400 million agreement with the US Department of Justice over alleged violations of federal children’s privacy laws.