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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, agreed to a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in August 2026 over allegations involving children’s privacy. The settlement resolves claims that TikTok violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and an earlier consent order; it is not a finding that the companies were liable. The government did not call it a record fine, and “spying” was not a legal finding.
What did TikTok do?
In a 2024 complaint, the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice alleged that children under 13 used regular TikTok accounts despite the platform’s age-screening process. The agencies said TikTok collected children’s personal information without giving parents notice or obtaining the consent required by COPPA. The complaint also alleged violations of a prior consent order connected to Musical.ly, the service that became TikTok.
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The agencies’ allegations extended beyond age screening. They said TikTok’s handling of advertising and its Kids Mode did not adequately protect children’s information, and alleged that the company profiled children and failed to honor some parents’ deletion requests. The complaint cited more than 170 million U.S. users as of 2024 and described the platform’s reach among teens: two-thirds of U.S. teens reportedly used TikTok in 2022, while nearly half reportedly used it multiple times a day by late 2023. Those figures provide complaint context; they are not findings made as part of the settlement.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFTC Chair Lina M. Khan said when the complaint was announced in 2024, “TikTok knowingly and repeatedly violated kids’ privacy, threatening the safety of millions of children across the country.” That was the FTC chair’s characterization of the allegations, not a determination of liability. In its 2026 announcement, DOJ said: “The claims resolved by the United States in the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.”
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Was TikTok fined, and was it a record?
The companies agreed to pay $400 million to resolve the case, but DOJ described the arrangement as a settlement, not a court finding that TikTok committed the alleged violations. DOJ announced the agreement on August 21, 2026: $300 million is payable immediately, with another $100 million conditional on entry of an order vacating the Musical.ly consent decree. The conditional portion is not the same as an unconditional immediate payment.
Calling the amount a “record fine” overstates what the agencies said. The FTC described the $5.7 million Musical.ly settlement in 2019 as the largest civil penalty it had obtained in a children’s privacy case at that time. DOJ characterized the 2026 settlement as one of the largest COPPA recoveries, not as a record. The amounts also arise in different legal postures: the 2019 figure was a civil penalty, while the 2026 figure is a settlement resolving allegations without a determination of liability.
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| Case | Amount | Legal posture | Agency’s characterization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musical.ly, 2019 | $5.7 million | Settlement; the FTC announced it as a civil penalty. | The FTC called it the largest civil penalty it had obtained in a children’s privacy case at that time. |
| TikTok and ByteDance, 2026 | $400 million total: $300 million immediately and $100 million conditional on entry of an order vacating the Musical.ly consent decree. | Settlement of allegations; DOJ said there was no determination of liability. | DOJ called it one of the largest COPPA recoveries, not a record. |
What does COPPA protect?
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act applies to child-directed online services and to general-audience services when they have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from children under 13. Under FTC guidance, covered services must notify parents and obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing a child’s personal information, subject to the law’s requirements and exceptions.
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COPPA also gives parents rights concerning information collected from their child. Parents can review that information, withdraw consent, and request deletion. The law is focused on children under 13; it does not by itself establish a general privacy rule for every teen user.
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- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
What can parents do?
- Ask to review information. If a service covered by COPPA has collected information from your child, FTC guidance says parents may seek to review it.
- Withdraw consent or request deletion. Parents may withdraw consent and ask the service to delete their child’s information.
- Report a suspected violation. The FTC directs consumers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov to report suspected violations.
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