Meta agreed on Aug. 26 to pay up to US$18 billion and make changes to Facebook and Instagram to settle claims by most US states that it designed the platforms to addict children and misled users about safety.

The deal would end a federal trial, pending court approval.

The dispute dates to Oct. 24, 2023, when California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Meta, accusing it of building features that addict children and teens and harm young people’s mental health.

The child-safety case went to federal trial on Aug. 18, 2026.

Under the settlement, Meta would limit teens’ use to two hours a day and block access from midnight to 6 a.m. without parental consent.

It would not have to stop personalized recommendations or targeted ads.

The settlement also includes US$459 million to resolve privacy claims by states tied to Cambridge Analytica, in which the consulting firm collected personal data from millions of Facebook users. Meta denied wrongdoing.

Meta still faces thousands of other lawsuits over alleged harm to children, and New Mexico and Florida were not part of this settlement.

🔗 Source: Reuters

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