Meta to pay $18 billion settlement over claims its platforms harm children

Meta has agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 52 US attorneys general over claims that its platforms harmed children. The lawsuit was instituted by 29 US states. Speaking on the agreement in a statement on Wednesday, the social media firm said the deal would lead to stricter measures to protect Facebook and Instagram users.

The measures, according to the tech company, include stricter limits on teenagers' screen time, overnight access, school-hour notifications, and new parental controls. While still subject to judicial approval, Meta said the measures would automatically apply to users under 18 years in "participating United States and territories". Meta's chief legal officer, C.J. Mahoney, said the agreement would establish new rules for teenagers' use of social media.

Meta said teenagers will only be able to turn off the limit with parental permission. The company said it will also block teens from accessing its apps between midnight and 6 am, while notifications will be muted by default from 8 am to 3 pm during school hours. Teenagers will receive prompts after every 15 minutes of continuous screen time and when their total daily usage reaches 60 and 90 minutes.

Meta also said the agreement includes a payment of approximately $18 billion, which will be distributed in annual instalments over 10 years. Participating states are expected to receive about 70 percent, or approximately $12.7 billion, of the allocated payment over the decade. The remaining $5.3 billion will be released only after TikTok and YouTube meet specified conditions. Meta said it expects to record approximately $10 billion in legal expenses in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026 as a result of the agreement.

The agreement will also establish an independent social media research foundation to support research into teen wellbeing. Meta said it would share consented user data with the foundation, while an independent auditor will review its compliance with the agreement annually for five years. Most of the provisions will remain in place for 10 years. Meta also called on TikTok and YouTube to adopt the same measures, arguing that teenagers move between multiple social media platforms.

(Source：21st Century Chronicle)