Meta settles social media addiction suit with states for $17 billion

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, reached a $17 billion settlement with 47 U.S. states over allegations that the company knowingly exploited young users on its platforms. The lawsuit, filed by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey in 2023, claimed Meta manipulated young internet users and misled the public about associated risks. Additionally, Meta was accused of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal data from children under the age of 13.

In response to the settlement, Meta expressed that it deemed the resolution a significant step towards addressing social media addiction. The company further announced plans to implement new child safety measures, such as a two-hour daily time limit for teens with mandatory breaks, a nighttime block that prevents minor access to feeds, and muted push notifications during school hours.

Additionally, Meta will introduce stronger parental controls and limit social-comparison features like like counts to protect vulnerable users. However, Meta emphasized that these safeguards would only be fully effective if other major platforms, such as TikTok and YouTube, adopted similar measures.