World News
Meta to Pay $17.1 Billion Over Social Media’s Harm to Kids
Twenty-nine states alleged that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive and harmful to minors. Under the settlement, the company will pay $17.1 billion and impose new restrictions on young users across the United States.
Tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has reached an unprecedented $17.1 billion settlement with 29 U.S. states. The agreement ends a lengthy legal battle centered on serious claims about the impact of the company’s social media platforms on the mental health of children and teenagers.
The federal lawsuit, led by attorneys general from states including California and Colorado, alleged that Meta designed its apps in a manipulative and addictive way, increasing the risk of harm to minors. The states also claimed that the company misled the public about the safety of using its platforms and concealed the risks involved.
Evidence presented during the proceedings indicated that Meta was aware of the connection between social media use and rising rates of anxiety and depression among young people. Alongside the mental health claims, the company was accused of violating privacy laws by collecting personal information from children under 13 without their parents’ consent. According to the lawsuit, some of that data was also used to train the company’s artificial intelligence models.
The settlement goes beyond the financial payment. As part of the agreement, Meta committed to making significant changes to how its apps operate for young users. These include strict daily time limits, blocked access to apps late at night, and an end to notifications during school hours.
The measures are intended to reduce children’s and teens’ harmful exposure to the platforms and curb addictive usage patterns that have become widespread across the United States.
Despite the enormous sum and its commitment to make changes, Meta continues to deny that it committed any wrongdoing. The company said it will continue working to protect young users on its platforms.
California’s attorney general described the agreement as a turning point in the effort to make the digital world safer. At the same time, experts believe the settlement could have consequences beyond Meta itself, potentially setting a binding precedent for other tech companies, including TikTok and YouTube, which are facing similar legal proceedings over their platforms’ effects on the mental health of younger generations.
