Meta has reached an agreement with California and 28 other U.S. states to implement significant changes on Facebook and Instagram. This settlement addresses allegations that the platforms negatively impacted teenagers by fostering addictive behaviors.
As part of the deal, Meta plans to roll out new protective measures for teen users nationwide. These include setting daily limits on usage, curbing notifications during school hours, and limiting overnight access to their apps. Additionally, certain filters associated with plastic surgery that target younger audiences will be restricted.
The agreement may result in Meta paying up to $18 billion over a decade, pending court approval. This sum would be divided among the states involved, with California expected to gain between $1.5 billion and $2.1 billion, and Colorado projected to receive approximately $615 million.
The lawsuit asserted that Meta intentionally crafted features that led young users to spend excessive time on its platforms. It also accused the company of collecting data from children under 13 without adequate parental consent. Although Meta denies any wrongdoing, the company has emphasized that the settlement’s effectiveness would increase if similar measures were adopted by other major social media platforms like TikTok, Snap, and YouTube.
This settlement comes amid a wave of lawsuits targeting Meta and other social media firms. Families, schools, and government entities have collectively filed thousands of legal actions, citing the adverse effects of social media on children and teenagers.
