Policy · 47 days ago
Meta agreed to a proposed settlement worth about $17 billion to $18 billion with attorneys general from nearly every U.S. state over claims that Facebook and Instagram were designed to drive compulsive use by teens. The deal came during trial and pairs the payment with sweeping limits on how the apps can work for users under 18.
Those limits include a two-hour daily cap, a midnight-to-6 a.m. block, notification defaults that shut off overnight and during school hours, removal of likes and similar reactions, a non-personalized feed option, and a teen reporting tool with faster response targets. Meta also must accept an independent auditor with broad access and cannot make misleading safety claims.
The precedent is bigger than the check: for platforms with young users, the remedy reaches product design, engagement loops, and trust-and-safety operations. If a service’s growth model depends on teen attention, this kind of settlement can now change the product itself, not just the legal bill.
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The Record from Recorded Future
Meta pledges to overhaul kids’ safety protections, pay $17 billion to settle social media case
A multibillion-dollar settlement with attorneys general from nearly every U.S.
Meta agrees to $18 billion settlement over teen social media harms
Meta has reached a proposed settlement worth up to approximately $18 billion with a bipartisan coalition of 52 attorneys generals over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to encourage compulsive use by children and teenagers.
Part of the PlainSec briefing for 2026-08-27