Meta Settles in US States Lawsuit on Teen User Addiction

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion and impose new limits on how teenagers use its social media platforms in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 47 US states. The settlement, still awaiting court approval, aims to improve child safety and prevent overuse, particularly during school hours and at night.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the agreement as "real change, real transparency, and real enforceable protections for children," while Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones argued that Meta intentionally deceived the public about its harmful design features and that the settlement will put an end to these dangerous practices.

Meta is proposing a daily time cap of 2 hours for users under 18, a "School Mode" during school hours, and suspending nighttime usage. Parents can lift these restrictions. The settlement requires Meta to respond to 90% of teen reports on harmful content within 6 hours and offer an option for a non-personalized feed for users under 18.

Meta and participating states will receive approximately 70% of the payments over a 10-year period, while the remaining 30% will be released if YouTube and TikTok meet specific conditions, including implementing a one-hour daily limit, night mode, and age assurance for their platforms. Meta's Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney called for industry-wide action, stating that as a parent, he is proud of Meta's efforts to safeguard young users and hopes for a collaborative approach with TikTok and YouTube to implement these measures.