Meta agrees to $17bn settlement over claims of child social media addiction

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, has reached a $17.1 billion settlement over claims that its platforms are too addictive for young users. The company has been the subject of several US lawsuits alleging it failed to inform people about the potential for younger users to become addicted to its services. Meta has also been accused of not putting in place enough safeguards to protect children and teens from online predators and other harmful individuals.

As part of the settlement with 47 states, the District of Columbia, and other territories, Meta has agreed to implement several features aimed at protecting younger users. These include daily time limits, fewer notifications, and a cutoff to prevent certain features from functioning at night. The tech giant has also called on other Big Tech companies, including TikTok and YouTube, to join in adopting these new standards to ensure teens use social media in a responsible manner.

The settlement has been hailed as the largest ever involving a big tech company. However, Meta has faced criticism for its handling of the allegations, with some calling it out for intentionally endangering children for profit and then lying about it. The company has acknowledged the settlement as a move to ensure teens benefit from a new industry standard, promising features such as muted notifications during school hours, daily time limits, and new controls for parents.