TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to settle allegations by the US Justice Department that it violated child privacy laws, marking one of the largest penalties involving a social media platform and children's data.
The case focused on allegations that TikTok collected and processed personal information from children without obtaining the required parental consent and failed to adequately prevent underage users from accessing the platform.
US authorities said the settlement is intended to ensure that TikTok strengthens its systems for identifying and protecting children on the platform. The company has agreed to make changes to its privacy and age-verification practices as part of the settlement.
The agreement comes amid growing scrutiny of social media companies over how they collect children's data, how they verify users' ages and how effectively they protect minors from inappropriate content and online risks.
TikTok has maintained that it takes user privacy and child safety seriously and said it is committed to complying with US privacy requirements.