TikTok to pay Alabama at least $100 million over addiction lawsuit

    TikTok has agreed to pay at least $100 million to settle Alabama's lawsuit over social media addiction. That is approximately AZN 170 million. According to the state's lawsuit, the app was intentionally designed to keep teenagers and children on the platform longer. The trial was scheduled to begin next week. The settlement is TikTok's first with any US state over this type of lawsuit.    In addition to the payment, TikTok will introduce additional safety rules for underage users. Their daily use of the app will be limited to 2 hours. Parents will be able to reduce that time further. Access to the endless content feed and to the app at night will also be restricted. The changes are intended to address concerns raised in the states' lawsuits.    Young users will also be unable to use beauty filters. In addition, TikTok will show them a general content feed that is not selected based on videos they previously watched. If the company fails to take the agreed steps, the payment could reach $300 million (approximately AZN 510 million).    Alabama sued TikTok and ByteDance, the Chinese company that created the app, last year. The platform also faces other lawsuits involving similar allegations. In 2024, more than 12 states accused TikTok of being intentionally designed to create addiction among teenagers. Meta has also agreed to pay $18 billion (approximately AZN 30.6 billion) to settle similar lawsuits brought by 47 states.    In August, TikTok agreed to pay the US Department of Justice $400 million (approximately AZN 680 million) to settle a separate case involving violations of laws protecting children's privacy. The department acknowledged that significant changes had been made to the platform's rules and ownership structure following the complaint. A US entity created in January placed control of the app in the hands of non-Chinese investors.