Meta has consented to implement significant modifications to Facebook and Instagram following a settlement agreement with California and 28 other U.S. states. The settlement addresses allegations that its platforms have negatively impacted teenagers and fostered addictive behaviors.
As part of the agreement, Meta will roll out enhanced safety measures for teenage users across the nation. These measures include setting daily usage limits, curbing notifications during school hours, and restricting overnight access to its applications. Furthermore, the company plans to limit the availability of certain plastic surgery filters that are targeted at young users.
The settlement may require Meta to disburse up to $18 billion over a decade, with the funds allocated among the participating states pending court approval. California is projected to receive between $1.5 billion and $2.1 billion, while Colorado could gain approximately $615 million.
The states involved in the lawsuit accused Meta of intentionally designing its platforms to encourage prolonged use among teenagers. They also claimed that the company collected data from children under 13 without acquiring proper parental consent. Meta, however, has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the settlement’s effectiveness would increase if other significant social media platforms adopted similar protective measures. The company urged TikTok, Snap, and YouTube to implement comparable safeguards.
This agreement emerges as Meta, along with other social media companies, faces numerous lawsuits filed by families, schools, and government officials. These lawsuits allege that social media use is linked to potential harms affecting children and teenagers.