TikTok hat sich bereit, Alabama mindestens 100 Millionen Dollar zu zahlen, um Vorwürfe beizulegen, dass die App absichtlich so gestaltet wurde, um Teenager und Kinder zu süchtig zu machen. Dies markiert TikTok's first settlement with a state regarding social media addiction lawsuits. In addition to the financial settlement, TikTok has committed to implementing safety measures to address state concerns.

The lawsuit was scheduled to go to trial next week. Alabama sued TikTok and its developer, Chinese company ByteDance, last year. This settlement comes amid over a dozen other states suing the app in 2024 over similar allegations of intentional design to addict teens.

If TikTok fails to implement the required changes, it may face additional penalties of up to $300 million. These measures include a two-hour daily time limit for underage users and enhanced parental controls. The app will also restrict unlimited scrolling and overnight access, ban beauty filters, and offer a non-personalized content feed for younger users.

In August, TikTok agreed to pay $400 million to the Department of Justice to settle a separate lawsuit regarding children's privacy law violations. The Department of Justice acknowledged that the app had undergone significant policy changes and ownership shifts since the complaint was filed. TikTok established a US entity in January, placing control of the app in the hands of non-Chinese investors.