2026-08-27 11:09:27
Meta has agreed to an $18 billion (£13.3 billion) settlement with US states and territories over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children, in the company’s largest payment to date over child safety litigation.
A California judge approved the deal, which will see Meta pay 48 states, the District of Columbia and three US territories in annual instalments over 10 years.
Meta has denied wrongdoing.
The settlement also requires significant changes to the way teenagers use its platforms, including a default two-hour daily limit across Instagram and Facebook.
The limit can only be disabled with permission from a parent or guardian.
Notifications will also be blocked automatically between midnight and 06:00, while a “school mode” will mute notifications between 08:00 and 15:00 on school days.
Other measures include hiding likes, allowing users to select a feed that is not algorithmically driven and switching off video autoplay.
Extreme make-up filters will also be unavailable to teenage users.
Teens will receive reminders after 15 minutes of continuous use, followed by further notifications after 60 and 90 minutes of cumulative use.
If TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube introduce similar restrictions, Meta’s daily limit will fall to one hour.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said: “This is a major moment to clean up an industry that has been hurting our kids.”
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers described the agreement as a fair and comprehensive attempt to provide financial relief while changing Meta’s conduct and addressing the negative effects of its platforms.
The settlement follows a lawsuit originally filed in 2023 by 29 states, which accused Meta of violating federal and state child privacy laws and deliberately designing its services to encourage prolonged use among young people.
The claims were supported by millions of internal documents, including research, emails and messages involving senior executives.
One internal Instagram document said teenagers had “an addict’s narrative about use”.
Meta defended its record on child safety throughout the case, arguing it had invested heavily in research and safety features.
The settlement does not include New Mexico, where a federal judge last month declared Meta a “public nuisance” and ordered almost $1 billion in fines.
Bonta said the settlement could provide a blueprint for wider action against the social media industry, urging other platforms to adopt similar safeguards.
District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb added: “The safety features Meta is required to install will fundamentally and immediately change how young people use Instagram and Facebook.”
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