Facebook Found Liable and TikTok Settles for $100M Over User Safety and Privacy Violations

Two major technology companies recently faced significant legal setbacks in the United States over allegations of misleading consumers regarding user safety and privacy. While Facebook was found liable by a jury, TikTok agreed to a substantial $100m settlement.

In New Mexico, a jury found that Facebook violated 43 million state consumer protection laws. The trial focused on claims that the company, owned by Meta, misled users about a data breach involving Cambridge Analytica, which harvested data from approximately 87 million profiles through a third-party personality quiz. The defunct firm used this data to assist US President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and a pro-Brexit group. Meta spokesperson Alex Burgos stated that the company disagrees with the verdict and plans to continue defending its record.

Meanwhile, TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, agreed to their first-ever state settlement in Alabama just days before a scheduled trial. The Alabama attorney general’s office accused TikTok of intentionally designing an addictive platform and misleading consumers about its safety. Under the settlement, TikTok will pay a minimum of $100m, implement a two-hour daily time limit, pause after 15 minutes of use, and improve age verification checks.