Meta Reaches $16bn Settlement: Map Shows Payouts for Each State
The company denies that it used its social media platforms "to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens."
Meta has reached a $16 billion settlement in a landmark social media addiction case, with the potential to pay up to $18 billion if the agreement is approved. The company will distribute the funds through annual payments to nearly all U.S. states and territories over a decade. California, which is the largest recipient, could receive up to $2.2 billion, with the money earmarked for preventing or remedying mental health and other harms related to social media use for young Californians.
Meta will implement sweeping changes to its Instagram and Facebook platforms, including daily limits, nighttime usage restrictions, enhanced age verification, and additional tools for parents to protect their children online. The settlement is subject to court approval and will address yearslong claims alleging that Meta helped trigger mental health crises among teens and violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act through its data collection practices from young residents.
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