Meta agrees to $17bn child safety settlement: What changes for teens on Instagram and Facebook?

Meta, the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram, has reached a $17 billion settlement with 47 US states and Washington DC over claims that the platforms are designed to addict teenagers. The company must enforce strict limits on teen usage, block most features during nighttime hours, and hide engagement metrics. Meta denies wrongdoing but must implement these changes over the next decade.

While some safety measures become default settings, others require parental intervention. The settlement aims to address allegations that Meta manipulated its algorithms to keep young users engaged, collecting data without complying with privacy laws. The effectiveness of these safeguards in reducing harm to teenagers remains uncertain, as enforcement depends on independent audits and comprehensive data access.