Short-form video platform TikTok has agreed to pay a record $400 million (approx. 550 billion won) to settle a lawsuit alleging violations of U.S. children's privacy laws.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 21st local time that it reached a settlement regarding the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) lawsuit, under which TikTok, its parent company ByteDance, and other affiliates will pay the amount.

The Justice Department explained that this settlement amount is the largest penalty ever in a COPPA case.

TikTok will pay $300 million immediately, and the remaining $100 million once the existing consent decree issued against its predecessor, Musical.ly, is vacated.

"This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. "It secures substantial penalties while strengthening the protections that families expect and deserve."

However, under the settlement document, TikTok and ByteDance did not admit liability for the allegations previously brought by the Department of Justice.

Previously, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging that TikTok knowingly allowed children under 13 to open regular adult accounts and illegally collected and retained personal information, such as their email addresses, without parental consent.

(Photo: Getty Images)