Meta agreed to pay states up to $17.1 billion and implement new safety features for teen social media users to settle a landmark case that accused the tech giant of pushing harmful content to children.
California, Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky and New Jersey were among 33 states that sued Meta in 2023 over its Facebook and Instagram platforms, claiming the Big Tech giant knowingly features addictive and harmful content while shielding that information from the public.
Virginia is slated to receive $353 million in the settlement, Attorney General Jay Jones said.
“For years, Meta intentionally deceived the public about the addictive and harmful design features that have wreaked havoc on youth mental health. I am elated to announce a settlement agreement that will put an end to these dangerous practices and deliver meaningful relief that will protect children from online harm,” Mr. Jones said.
The agreement requires Meta to implement a slew of new safety features for children who use Instagram and Facebook, including time limits aimed at stopping “endless scrolling.”
The agreement also requires Meta to block children from using Instagram and Facebook from midnight to 6 a.m. and limit access to the platforms during school time, among other changes.
In a statement provided to The Washington Times, Meta Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney said the company is pleased with the settlement and that the changes will empower parents to control how their children access Facebook and Instagram. Mr. Mahoney called on TikTok and YouTube to immediately implement the same new safety features.
“Our new Time Limit Commitments, Night Mode features and usage limits during school hours set the right path forward for our whole industry, but this framework will only work if all our peers join us,” Mr. Mahoney said.
Indiana is set to receive up to $419.4 million in the settlement, Attorney General Todd Rokita said. He called the new safety requirements “groundbreaking changes” that will reduce compulsive use and resulting anxiety and depression among teen users.
One of the new safety requirements will limit beauty filters and visible “like” counts that harm the mental health of kids and teenagers.
An independent auditor and the 47 states included in the settlement will monitor the implementation and efficacy of the new safety features, he said.
“This is not just about money — it’s about changing how these platforms operate so they stop exploiting the developing brains of our kids,” he said.
Meta has been implementing new child safety features in recent years to respond to concerns about the impact of its social media platform on mental health.
Meta bans children under 13 from using its platforms, but critics argue the age verification requirements are easy to get around. Earlier this year, it installed a new feature on Instagram requiring parental consent for children under 16 to post live videos.
In the federal trial that preceded the settlement, Meta denied wrongdoing and argued that social media addiction is not recognized as a psychiatric condition. The tech giant also argued it was being singled out among other platforms, such as TikTok and YouTube, which are also heavily used by children.
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