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Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle claims that Facebook and Instagram used addictive features that could harm children and teenagers. The agreement also requires the company to introduce new safety measures for young users.
The settlement follows a legal battle involving states that accused Meta of putting engagement ahead of children’s safety. Meta denied wrongdoing but agreed to significant changes as part of the deal.
Meta $18 Billion Settlement Targets Teen Use
The Meta $18 billion settlement includes new limits on how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram.
Under the agreement, users under 18 will face a default two-hour daily limit across both platforms. Teens will also receive reminders during extended sessions. Parents can allow their children to turn off the time limit.
Meta will also introduce a nighttime block. Teens will not be able to use Facebook or Instagram between midnight and 6 a.m. under the default settings.
The company will also mute most push notifications during school hours. That feature will apply from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. under Meta’s announced terms.
Meta Will Add New Safety Features
The agreement also calls for stronger age verification on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta plans to improve its systems for identifying users who may be under 18. The company will also work to identify accounts that may belong to children under 13 who entered an adult birth date.
Teen users will also see changes to some popular features.
Meta will hide like and reaction counts from minors by default. The company will also restrict certain extreme makeup and cosmetic filters for young users.
Parents and teens will also have greater control over what appears in their feeds. The agreement includes an option for a non-personalized feed instead of one driven by recommendation algorithms.
TikTok and YouTube Could Face Similar Rules
Meta wants the settlement to encourage other social media companies to adopt similar protections.
The company has called on TikTok and YouTube to introduce comparable safety measures. Some of the settlement’s financial terms depend on those companies adopting specific protections and contributing to the agreement.
If those conditions happen, some protections could become stricter. Meta says the daily limit could eventually fall to one hour per app, while nighttime restrictions could expand to cover more hours.
Meta Settlement Follows Youth Safety Lawsuits
The legal fight began after states accused Meta of designing its platforms to encourage compulsive use among young people. The allegations also included claims involving children’s data and mental health.
The settlement involves nearly every U.S. state and several territories. State officials have described it as one of the largest state consumer protection settlements involving a technology company.
The agreement does not mean Meta admitted to the allegations. The company instead agreed to the financial payment and platform changes to resolve the litigation.
What the Meta Settlement Means for Teens
The new rules could change how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram. Daily limits may reduce screen time, while nighttime blocks could prevent late-night scrolling.
The changes also target features that critics say can encourage comparison and excessive engagement. Hiding like counts and restricting certain beauty filters could reduce some of the pressure young users experience online.
However, critics argue that the settlement does not address every concern about social media algorithms and youth mental health. The agreement focuses on specific platform features and usage rules rather than completely changing Meta’s business model.
For now, the Meta $18 billion settlement marks a major shift in how Facebook and Instagram will operate for younger users. The agreement also puts pressure on other major social media companies to strengthen protections for teens.
Source: Meta, Reuters, Associated Press, and state attorneys general.
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