The state of Alabama has reached a settlement with TikTok that will see the platform implement a number of restrictions on its users, but will also allow the company to avoid a public trial that was to start on Monday.
The trial would have been the first case brought by a US state against the social media giant to reach a jury.
We obtained a copy of the settlement for you here.
The deal, which Attorney General Steve Marshall said was "first-in-the-nation" and would "fundamentally transform" how the app works for teenagers, comes with a $100 million payment to Alabama, that could rise to $300 million.
TikTok will implement "robust age assurance measures to more effectively verify the age of young users" – meaning, a form of age verification. This is necessary in order to enforce the rest of the deal, which includes, among other things, a two-hour daily limit on the app for teenagers, with parents given the ability to further restrict this.
But to do this, TikTok must know the age of all its users, not just those under 18. So, the "robust age assurance" will apply to everyone. And while the Attorney General's office paints this as a victory, it means that adults will have to have their age verified, too.
More: The Meta Settlement: What It Means for Your Speech and Privacy
The app will also introduce "productive pauses," interrupting teenagers after 15 minutes of continuous use, then again at 60 and 90 minutes. And there will be "nighttime access" restrictions, with teenagers locked out of the app from midnight to 6 a.m., and unable to receive messaging and push notifications during that time or during school hours.
Teenagers will also be banned from using cosmetic filters, and will have a non-personalized feed by default. The app will limit adults finding teen accounts, and parents will be notified about "suspicious interactions" between adults and teenagers.
According to Marshall, "This is a great day for Alabama parents. Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction. TikTok has agreed to give parents real control over what their kids see and how much time they spend on the app."
The attorney general's office said the deal resolves claims that TikTok "designed its platform with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to serious mental harms, and intentionally misled the public about the safety of its platforms."
Now the trial is longer happening, and the only ones explaining what has been agreed to are the Attorney General's office and the terms of the settlement.
