Meta reaches $ 16 .68 billion settlement over social media harms to children

Meta Platforms agreed to pay a maximum $16.68 billion and ​make major changes to Facebook and Instagram to resolve claims by states across the US that the company designed those platforms to addict children, misled consumers about their safety and improperly collected children’s personal data. The settlement resolves claims brought by 29 U.S. states, and will end a federal trial that had been ‌one of the highest-profile tests ⁠yet of ⁠allegations that social media companies harmed young users.

Meta will impose daily usage limits and restrict nighttime usage by children who use Facebook and Instagram, and enhance measures to ​prevent children from accessing age-restricted content. The Menlo Park, California-based company denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.