Prince Glover Hayes Helps Secure Alabama TikTok Settlement Worth Up to $300 Million
We are proud to announce that Prince Glover Hayes was a lead part of a litigation team that, along with Attorney General Marshall and co-counsel from Beasley Allen, secured a settlement with TikTok that benefits Alabama families and young users of the app. Alabama will receive at least $100 million, with the potential for up to $300 million under the settlement’s contingent provisions. In addition to the settlement amount, the agreement imposes protections for young people in the state who use TikTok. Attorney General Marshall issued a public statement thanking Josh Hayes of Prince Glover Hayes and several other attorneys for their work on the case. This is a significant win for Alabama families.
A first-in-the-nation resolution of Alabama’s case against TikTok
Alabama alleged that TikTok engaged in several practices that adversely affected young people. For instance, the State argued that the platform is designed with addictive features, exposes young users to serious mental-health harms, and misrepresents or misleads the public about platform safety.
The parties were scheduled for trial on Monday, September 28, 2026. If not for the settlement, Alabama would have been the first state to take these claims against TikTok to trial. Instead, the state secured the first settlement of its kind, according to Attorney General Marshall.
What Alabama secured through the TikTok settlement
The settlement secures a minimum of $100 million for Alabama, with potential recovery reaching $300 million if certain conditions are met. The terms include:
- A $116.2 million base settlement fund
- $100 million set aside for restitution and remediation benefiting Alabama consumers
- An additional $183.8 million contingent pool based on qualifying agreements involving other states
- A Most Favored Nation Clause, meaning that should another state negotiate a more-favorable settlement as the pressures continue to mount on TikTok, Alabama will have the opportunity to match those terms
New protections for teen users
In addition to the funds secured by the settlement, it sets new protections for teen users. Some of the protections now in place include:
- Setting a default two-hour daily limit on qualifying TikTok use for teen users (parents will be able to impose tighter limits)
- A Night Access Mode will generally restrict access to the platform from midnight to 6 a.m.
- There will be restrictions on push notifications overnight and during school hours
- Supervising parents will be able to create screen-time dashboards and scheduled time-away controls
- The platform will use stronger age-assurance measures
- The platform will have “productive pauses” and usage notices
- Cosmetic procedure filters will be restricted
- There will be greater tools available relating to feed choices, content controls, adult contacts, and suspicious interactions
Not all changes will occur instantly. The settlement sets specific timeframes for implementing some of the new protections. For example, some productive-pause provisions must be implemented within four months, while certain age-assurance and feed-related changes have longer implementation periods.
The settlement creates long-term obligations for TikTok
The agreement requires TikTok to make more than a series of one-time changes. Some of its provisions create continuing obligations requiring TikTok to maintain certain existing safety tools and resources for minors, or equivalent protections, for at least seven years.
The consent decree also provides Alabama with a means to enforce the agreement if TikTok fails to comply with its requirements. That provision makes the settlement more powerful than a voluntary announcement of new safety features. Along with the financial recovery, these provisions create standards designed to shape how TikTok serves younger users in Alabama well beyond the resolution of the lawsuit.
Prince Glover Hayes’ role in the case
Attorney General Marshall specifically thanked Josh Hayes of Prince Glover Hayes for his work on this historic settlement. Rhon Jones of Beasley Allen and the AG Consumer Protection team partnered with Prince Glover Hayes in this effort. Prince Glover Hayes was one of two private firms selected to assist the State in this important litigation.
Our team is proud of the work we performed on this case. Josh Hayes said, “This was a team effort, and we are grateful for the opportunity granted to us by Attorney General Steve Marshall and Chief Counsel Katherine Robertson to serve Alabama and to protect your children from harmful social media practices. This outcome will have a meaningful impact on every family in this state. The AG’s Office has made it clear that it intends to do something about the war on childhood being waged by Big Tech and this is a significant step in the direction of ensuring accountability and truthfulness in what Alabama parents can expect from social media companies.”
Prince Glover Hayes is honored to have the opportunity to contribute to important cases like this one, which impact people throughout Alabama, and in this case sets the standard for what is likely to be a nationwide TikTok resolution. Every client and each case we handle matters a great deal to our team. We look forward to continuing to serve our community in future matters with the same diligence and commitment as in this important and historic case.
For more information about this case, our team’s role in securing the settlement, and our work on personal injury and other matters in Alabama, reach out to us online or call our offices today.