Meta reaches US$16.68 billion settlement over social media harms to children

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has reached a US$16.68 billion settlement with 29 US states over claims that the platforms were designed to addict children, mislead consumers about their safety and improperly collect personal data. The agreement resolves ongoing litigation that began as a federal trial, which was one of the most prominent cases examining allegations of harm to young users by social media companies.

In addition to the settlement, Meta agreed to implement daily usage limits and nighttime blocks for teenage users in the US, as well as improve protections against age-restricted content. The Menlo Park, California-based company denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement. The payout will also go towards resolving privacy lawsuits related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved the unauthorized collection of personal data of millions of Facebook users by the consulting firm.