TikTok settles with Alabama: teen time limits, a midnight cutoff, "stronger age verification." Protect kids, yes. But whose data proves age?

TikTok will pay Alabama at least $100 million and change how the app works for teens there, settling the state's youth-safety lawsuit before it could reach a jury, CBS News reports. Trial had been set to begin Monday. Teen users in Alabama get a two-hour daily limit, no use from midnight to 6 a.m., "productive pause" prompts at 15, 60 and 90 minutes, private-by-default accounts, no cosmetic-procedure filters and the option of a non-personalized feed. The deal also calls for stronger parental controls, stronger content moderation and "stronger age verification measures." Alabama could receive up to $300 million if certain conditions are met. "Tonight, they can rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction," said Attorney General Steve Marshall. TikTok said its priority has "always been fostering a safe and positive space where people can be creative, discover what they love, and connect with their community." TikTok also agreed in August to a $400 million settlement of a Justice Department children's privacy suit. To be fair, this is a settlement TikTok signed, not a law Alabama passed, and parents' frustration with addictive design is real. But my standard doesn't change with the party or the platform. Stronger age verification usually means someone collects proof of who you are, and that can mean a database somebody can breach or subpoena. My view: protect kids, and demand answers. What data proves a user's age, who keeps it, and for how long?