Meta agrees to pay $18 billion to settle US lawsuits over children’s social media addiction
Summary
Meta will pay up to $18 billion and impose new limits on teenagers’ use of Facebook and Instagram to settle lawsuits from nearly all US states over claims it designed its platforms to addict children. The agreement also includes a $459 million privacy settlement tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Key Points
- Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion over a decade to settle claims that Facebook and Instagram were designed to addict children.
- The deal restricts teen use to two hours a day, blocks access from midnight to 6 a.m. without parental consent, and limits notifications during school hours.
- The settlement includes $459 million to resolve state privacy claims tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
- Several states and other plaintiffs still have ongoing lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies over child safety and mental health harms.
