Meta has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to settle claims over Facebook and Instagram’s impact on children. The deal also brings new safety rules for teen users.
The settlement involves 29 states and ends a major legal battle against the tech giant. The states accused Meta of making its platforms addictive and misleading the public about child safety.
They also alleged that Meta collected children’s personal data without proper parental consent. Meta denied the claims and defended its efforts to protect young users.
Under the deal, Meta will pay at least $12.1 billion over 10 years, according to the D.C. attorney general’s office. The amount could rise by another $5 billion.
Meanwhile, the company has agreed to stronger limits for teen accounts. These include daily screen-time restrictions and nighttime access blocks.
Teen users may also have fewer notifications during school hours. Parents will get more controls over how their children use Meta’s platforms.
However, some measures depend on other major platforms joining the agreement. Meta specifically wants TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar rules.
Meta said stronger protection across platforms is important because teens often move between different apps. The company also expects the changes to take about six months.
“Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta,” the company said.
The settlement also avoids a potentially dramatic courtroom moment. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg could have been called to testify during the trial.
For now, the deal marks a major moment in the growing debate over social media and children’s safety.
