TikTok and parent company ByteDance will pay $400 million to settle a US Department of Justice lawsuit alleging the app collected data from children under 13 without parental consent, in one of the largest child privacy settlements to date.
Key facts
- TikTok will pay $400 million to settle the case, according to the DOJ.
- The lawsuit was filed in 2024 and alleged violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
- The DOJ said TikTok collected data from children without notifying parents or obtaining consent.
- The DOJ announced the settlement on Friday.
- The case involved TikTok and its parent company ByteDance.
TikTok will pay $400 million to the United States to settle a lawsuit alleging it violated children’s online privacy laws, the US Department of Justice announced on Friday, in what has been described as one of the largest child privacy settlements.
The deal stems from a 2024 lawsuit that accused TikTok and its parent company ByteDance of collecting “vast amounts of data” on millions of users under the age of 13, according to the BBC.
According to The Verge, the DOJ alleged that TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA, by collecting data from children without notifying parents or obtaining their consent, and by failing to delete the accounts in question.
Al Jazeera reported that TikTok and the US government reached the settlement to resolve allegations that the app violated children’s online privacy laws.
COPPA is a US law that governs how online services can handle personal information from children under the age of 13, including requirements around parental notification and consent.
Why it matters
The settlement is among the largest of its kind and signals continued regulatory scrutiny of how major technology platforms handle children's personal data. For parents and young users, it highlights ongoing concerns about data collection and consent on widely used apps.
Frequently asked questions
How much will TikTok pay in the settlement?
TikTok will pay $400 million to the United States, according to the Department of Justice.
What law did TikTok allegedly violate?
The DOJ alleged TikTok violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting data from children under 13 without parental notification or consent, according to The Verge.
When was the lawsuit filed?
The lawsuit was filed in 2024, according to the sources.