Meta has agreed to pay up to US$18 billion over the next 10 years and introduce new protections for teenagers on Facebook and Instagram to settle lawsuits brought by nearly every U.S. state.
The lawsuits claimed the company designed its platforms to keep children addicted and misled the public about the risks to young users. Meta denied any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement.
Under the deal, teens will be limited to two hours of daily use and blocked from using the apps between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental permission. Push notifications will also be reduced during school hours, and Meta will strengthen age checks to better protect children from restricted content.
The settlement does not end personalized recommendations or targeted advertising, but it is one of the largest agreements involving children’s online safety. Officials say it could become a model for future lawsuits against other social media companies.
The agreement also includes US$459 million to resolve privacy claims related to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. A U.S. judge is expected to approve the settlement.
