TikTok avoids lawsuit in Alabama through child protection settlement

TikTok has averted a lawsuit in the US state of Alabama over alleged inadequate protection of minors from social media addiction with a settlement. As part of the settlement, the company must pay him at least $100 million and limit daily usage time for young users to two hours, said Attorney General Steve Marshall.

According to the information, the minimum amount must be paid within 45 days. Under certain conditions it could be increased to up to $300 million.

The settlement ends the proceedings three days before the trial is scheduled to begin in Montgomery. Lawsuits from more than a dozen other US states against TikTok remain unaffected.

Comparison also in California

The state of Alabama had already sued TikTok and its Chinese parent company Bytedance in April 2025. The app seduces young users in a similar way to “slot machines,” the lawsuit said. Investigators who registered with the app as 13 to 15 year olds were shown videos about suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, alcohol and sex, among other things.

The state also accused TikTok of deceiving parents about protective features for minors. TikTok had rejected the allegations and cited a US federal law that exempts online platforms from liability for content published by users.