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Meta to pay up to $18 billion in landmark teen safety settlement
Meta Platforms has reached a landmark settlement with nearly all U.S. states, agreeing to pay up to $18 billion to resolve lawsuits alleging the company intentionally designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to minors. The legal action, brought by dozens of state attorneys general, claimed Meta was aware of the negative impacts its platforms had on adolescent mental health, including issues with anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia, but prioritized engagement and profit over safety.
Under the terms of the agreement, Meta will implement significant product changes for users under 18. These include a default daily usage limit of two hours, nighttime restrictions between midnight and 6:00 AM, and the silencing of notifications during school hours. The company will also strengthen age verification processes and ban certain beauty filters that mimic cosmetic surgery to mitigate psychological harm.
While the settlement is one of the largest consumer protection agreements in history, Meta has not admitted to any wrongdoing or liability. The company intends to pay the settlement in installments over the next decade. Analysts suggest the resolution of this major legal threat may allow Meta to accelerate its development of new artificial intelligence products.
Entities
Facebook · Instagram · Mark Zuckerberg · Meta · Meta Platforms · TikTok · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 14 SOURCES] Attorneys General accused Meta of designing platforms to encourage excessive use among minors. notimercio.ec · octavioislas.com · agendarweb.com.ar · 24-ore.com · nucleo.jor.br · +9 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Meta will implement a default limit of two hours of daily use for adolescents on Facebook and Instagram. notimercio.ec · www.la-croix.com · agendarweb.com.ar · nucleo.jor.br · thevoice.us · +5 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The settlement does not include an admission of liability or responsibility by Meta. notimercio.ec · www.la-croix.com · octavioislas.com · insideretail.co.nz
- [● 10 SOURCES] Meta will pay up to $18 billion to settle legal proceedings. notimercio.ec · octavioislas.com · nucleo.jor.br · thevoice.us · www.allure.com · +5 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The agreement includes provisions to potentially remove algorithmic content presentation. www.la-croix.com · notimercio.ec
- [● 7 SOURCES] Meta must strengthen age verification and restrict certain platform functions during nighttime and school hours. notimercio.ec · agendarweb.com.ar · nucleo.jor.br · www.la-croix.com · www.allure.com · +2 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Meta will ban the use of certain beauty filters for minors. agendarweb.com.ar · www.allure.com · www.tekedia.com