Meta to pay $16.68B to settle US states' claims it addicted children to social media
Meta reaches $16.68B settlement over social media harms to children
Meta Platforms has agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion to resolve claims from 29 US states that it designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children, misled users about safety, and improperly collected minors' data. The settlement, reached during a federal trial in California, also requires nationwide safeguards for teens, including daily usage limits and nighttime blocks. Meta denies wrongdoing. The deal averts a high-profile trial over youth mental health, as thousands of similar lawsuits against Meta, Snap, Alphabet, and ByteDance continue.
The settlement was reached during a California federal trial over claims brought by 29 states, averting one of the highest-profile tests yet of allegations that social media companies harmed young users.