Meta Agrees to $18B Settlement Over Child Safety Claims

Meta Platforms has agreed to a nearly $18 billion settlement with nearly every U.S. state to resolve claims that its products were designed to foster compulsive use by children and that the company failed to adequately warn users about addiction and mental health risks. The agreement, which requires court approval, aims to conclude a trial where some states had sought over $1.4 trillion in damages. As part of the settlement, Meta will implement significant changes to its platforms, including default daily time limits for users under 18. Specifically, individuals under 18 will face a default two-hour daily time limit across Facebook and Instagram, which can only be overridden with parental consent. This limit will be cumulative across both platforms, even if a user has multiple accounts. Meta stated that time spent scrolling on both apps contributes to this total. The company will also enforce a default block on usage between midnight and 6 a.m. Additionally, a "school mode" will be introduced, which will mute notifications by default from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to minimize distractions during school hours. Users under 18 will receive prompts after every 15 minutes of continuous screen time on Facebook or Instagram, with further prompts triggered when their total daily usage reaches 60 minutes and 90 minutes. Meta currently employs ID checks and facial analysis technologies to verify user ages. The settlement addresses widespread concerns about the impact of social media on adolescent mental health and development, a topic that has drawn increasing scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers across the United States. While the majority of states have agreed to the terms, Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, publicly rejected the deal, calling the proposed settlement "peanuts" and arguing that it did not adequately compensate for the alleged harms caused to children in his state. This indicates ongoing friction and differing perspectives on the adequacy of the resolution among state officials. The agreement represents one of the largest settlements of its kind involving a technology company and child safety issues, signaling a significant shift in how social media platforms may operate concerning their younger user base.