ReportTikTok Pays Alabama $100M, Limits Teens to 2 Hours a DayAired September 26, 2026 at 4:32 PM UTCWritten September 26, 2026 at 4:58 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:11Alabama teens get cut off TikTok after two hours a day.0:14The state locked in at least $100 million, a midnight blackout, school day quiet,0:19and a feed that no longer personalizes for kids.0:22More than 25 other states with similar lawsuits are watching what sticks.0:26Will the limits actually hold and will the payout triple to 300 million?0:29The deal was announced Friday, September 25th, 2026, by Alabama Attorney General0:34Steve Marshall as a historic multi-million dollar settlement.0:38It ends what was set to be the first trial in the United States testing claims the0:42platform fueled a teen mental health crisis with a jury trial scheduled to begin0:46Monday in Montgomery State Court.0:47Alabama is guaranteed a minimum described as at least $100 million and more than0:52$100 million due within 45 days.0:55More precise tallies put the signed amount at $116.2 million with another0:59$183.8 million conditional for a possible total of up to $300 million.1:04A Montgomery circuit judge signed the consent decree on September 25th and TikTok1:08has 45 days to respond.1:10From courtroom to code, what TikTok must now change for teens.1:14Teenagers 13 to 17 are cut off from most of the app after 120 minutes per day.1:19Search and 10-minute videos stay outside the under-18 cap.1:22Access is blocked overnight from midnight to 6 a.m.1:25Notifications for teenage users are suspended during school hours.1:28The company must impose stricter age checks and enhanced age verification ban beauty1:33filters for teens and give teens a non-personalized feed instead of the personalized1:37recommendation feed.1:38The case was filed April 25th, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County with1:43trial by jury requested against TikTok Inc., TikTok LLC, TikTok U.S.1:48Data Security Inc., TikTok PTE LEMDD, TikTok Limited, ByteDance Inc., and ByteDance1:54LDD.1:54Alabama alleged the platform was made addictive to young users, exploited children,1:59made deceptive claims about youth safety, misled parents about tools meant to shield2:03children from harmful content, and harmed the mental well-being of youths.2:07The core claim was that safety features were misrepresented and the app was2:10engineered to hook young users.2:12TikTok disputed liability and argued federal law shields platforms from liability2:16for user-generated content.2:18None of those allegations was tested at trial because the settlement resolves the2:21case without a trial and without a finding of liability.2:25The settlement is the first state settlement over teen safety claims against TikTok2:29and was modeled on Instagram owner Meta's recent agreement with U.S.2:32states.2:33Alabama had joined that Meta settlement in August 2026, involving 52 attorneys2:38general, billions of dollars, teen time limits, nighttime restrictions, stronger2:43parental controls and independent oversight, which urged TikTok and YouTube to2:48follow.2:49Alabama's TikTok case was the first of its kind against the platform to reach trial,2:53despite similar lawsuits from more than 25 other states.2:56For families, the stakes are daily.2:58How long a teenager can scroll, whether the app is available through the night,3:02whether alerts intrude during the school day, whether age gates keep younger3:05children out, whether appearance-altering filters shape self-image, and whether an3:10engagement-driven algorithm decides what a child sees.3:12The answer turns on details that are still missing.3:15The exact methods for stronger age verification, the definition and hours for the3:20school hours suspension, how the beauty filter ban is coded and policed, how the3:24non-personalized feed is built and audited, and how the midnight to six block and3:28120-minute cutoff are enforced, including circumvention, have not been spelled out3:33in full enforcement language.3:34The final dollar total depends on whether 40 other attorneys general sign similar3:39deals within the unspecified window, while later tallies refer only to other states3:43signing.3:44The timeframe, how each limit will be audited, and how Alabama will spend the money3:48have not been made public.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗