TikTok to pay $400 million to settle child privacy lawsuit
TikTok will pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Social media company TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice concerning alleged violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The Department of Justice had accused TikTok of collecting personal data from children without notifying parents or obtaining consent, and of failing to delete accounts upon parental request. As part of the settlement, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million upon the vacating of a prior consent decree against its predecessor, Musical.ly.
COPPA prohibits online services from collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. The lawsuit alleged that TikTok did not adhere to these regulations, resulting in the collection of significant amounts of data without proper authorization.
According to the Department of Justice, this settlement represents one of the largest recoveries ever for COPPA violations. The case highlights increasing scrutiny from regulators regarding the privacy practices of online services targeting children.