TikTok to pay $400m to US in one of largest child privacy settlements
Saturday, 22 August 2026
Warm-up
- How old were you when you first used a social media app?
- What information should a social app ask for from young users?
- What rules does your country have to protect children online?
Vocabulary
- lawsuit
- a legal case brought to a court to resolve a complaint
- settlement
- an agreement that ends a legal dispute, often with payment
- privacy
- the right to keep personal information from others
- consent
- permission to do something, given by someone in charge
- federal
- related to the national government of a country
- violate
- to break a law or rule
- divest
- to sell or separate part of a business
- consortium
- a group of companies or investors working together
Reading
TikTok has agreed to pay $400m to the US to end a lawsuit over child privacy. The Department of Justice says TikTok and parent company ByteDance violated a federal law called COPPA, which protects users under 13. Officials say the app collected large amounts of data without parental consent.
Under the settlement, TikTok and ByteDance will pay $300m now and another $100m after the government vacates a 2019 consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission. The deal only covers TikTok's operations in China, not its split US business.
Other firms have faced penalties for COPPA: YouTube paid $170m in 2019, and Epic Games paid $275m in 2022. Meta is on trial after 29 US states sued over child privacy on Instagram and Facebook.
In 2024, former President Joe Biden pushed TikTok to divest or face a ban. Donald Trump later backed the sell-off, which happened last year. TikTok's US operations are now 81% owned by a consortium, while ByteDance keeps a 19% stake.
Comprehension
- How much will TikTok and ByteDance pay in total under the deal?
- Which federal law do officials say TikTok violated?
- When will the final $100m be paid, according to the deal?
- Which other companies paid penalties for COPPA in 2019 and 2022?
- Who supported divestment that led to TikTok's US split?
Grammar focus
Should have
Should have + past participle expresses criticism or regret about something that did not happen. Use it to say someone ought to have done something in the past. (Examples constructed.)
- Officials should have checked data collection earlier.
- Users should have read privacy notices more carefully.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence using 'should have' + past participle.
- If a parent had known, they (ask) ___ for permission.
- After reports, critics said regulators (act) ___ earlier.
- Before the settlement, staff (inform) ___ parents about data use.
- In 2024 some argued the company (divest) ___ to avoid a ban.
- After the fines, critics said the app (protect) ___ children better.
Discussion
- Should social apps allow any users under 13? Why or why not?
- What data should platforms be allowed to collect from teens?
- Are big penalties the best way to change tech company behavior?
- Who should decide app rules for children: parents, schools, or government?
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