Meta has agreed to a $17.1 billion (£12.6 billion) settlement and new restrictions for teenage Facebook and Instagram users following a landmark US trial. The case, brought by California and 28 other states, alleged that the technology giant deliberately incorporated addictive features into its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads.
The lawsuit further claimed that Meta misled users regarding safety protocols and unlawfully collected data from children under 13 without parental consent. While the jury trial in Oakland, California, was initially expected to span six weeks, a settlement was reached on August 26. Meta has denied all allegations throughout the proceedings, and the agreement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Terms of the Settlement and Platform Changes
Under the terms of the agreement, Meta will pay at least $12.1 billion (£8.9 billion) over the next decade. An additional £5 billion could be added to the total if competitors, such as TikTok and YouTube, adopt similar safety measures and make related payments.
The settlement mandates significant changes to how teenagers interact with Facebook and Instagram. Users under 18 will face two-hour daily time limits, with mandatory pauses and reminders after 15 minutes of continuous use, as well as after 60 and 90 minutes of total engagement. Furthermore, both apps will be restricted for minors between midnight and 6am, unless parental intervention occurs. Notifications will also be silenced during specific windows, including 10pm to 7am and 8am to 3pm on school days.
Additionally, Meta is required to provide teenagers with a non-personalised, chronological feed, hide like counts by default, and remove filters that simulate extreme cosmetic procedures.
Public Health and Industry Impact
California Attorney General Rob Bonta described the settlement as a "monumental public health victory," stating that it will make social media less dangerous for children. Meta, in response, emphasized that ensuring a safe and productive experience for teens remains an absolute imperative for the company. The firm has also encouraged its rivals to implement similar safeguards to prevent young users from simply migrating to other platforms.
This legal development follows a separate ruling earlier this month in New Mexico, where a court ordered Meta to pay $942 million for failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. Meanwhile, the public discourse surrounding Meta's impact on youth continues to grow, with the upcoming film The Social Reckoning set to dramatize the "Facebook Files" and the whistleblowing efforts of Frances Haugen. The film, directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg, is scheduled for release on October 9.