TikTok agreed to pay Alabama $100 million and install teen safety features on its app before the trial set for Monday, after the state filed a lawsuit in 2025 alleging the platform’s algorithm was addictive and harmed teens’ mental health.
Under the settlement, TikTok will add a non‑personalized feed option for teens, bar cosmetic‑filter use, impose a two‑hour daily limit, ban midnight‑to‑6 a.m. use, and prompt a “productive pause” after 15, 60, and 90 minutes of continuous play.
The agreement also requires stronger age verification, parental controls, private default for teen accounts, and tighter content‑moderation protocols; Alabama will receive the $100 million in restitution, which is earmarked for youth mental‑health programs, and could receive up to an additional $183.8 million if several other states meet the same settlement criteria.
Katherine Robertson, chief counsel in the Alabama Attorney General’s office, said the settlement mirrors Meta’s July deal, noting that Meta had called on TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar standards, but TikTok had not publicly responded.
A TikTok USDS Joint Venture spokesperson said the company’s priority “has always been fostering a safe and positive space” and that the new safety tools “continue to enhance our robust safety measures” to protect teens.
Parents across Alabama say the new limits will curb excessive screen time and give teens more time for school and family, giving hope that the settlement will improve mental‑health outcomes for the state’s youth.