TikTok to Pay $400 Million to Settle U.S. Child Protection Case

2026-08-22

Settlement Details

The U.S. Justice Department said on the 21st that it had reached a settlement in a lawsuit involving the video-sharing app TikTok, under which the company will pay a total of $400 million. The case concerned allegations that TikTok had failed to put in place the necessary restrictions when children under 13 opened accounts. The settlement is said to be among the largest ever in a case of its kind.

Background to the Lawsuit and Response

The lawsuit was filed in 2024 under the former Biden administration. According to Bloomberg, the Justice Department alleged that TikTok had allowed several million children under 13 to create accounts without their parents' knowledge and had made it difficult for parents to request their deletion.

According to the Justice Department, TikTok reviewed its management structure and handling of personal information after the lawsuit was filed, and strengthened age verification and parental controls.

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