Meta Agrees to Up to $18 Billion Settlement Over Teen Safety Claims

Meta has reached a proposed settlement valued at up to approximately $18 billion with a bipartisan group of 52 attorneys general, resolving allegations that Facebook and Instagram were designed to promote compulsive use among children and teenagers.

According to BleepingComputer and Android Authority, the coalition of attorneys general had claimed the platforms negatively affected the mental health of teenage users. In a statement posted to its blog, Meta said the payment would help fund youth online safety initiatives and other state activities. The company denied any wrongdoing as part of the agreement.

Alongside the financial terms, Meta announced a series of teen-safety features for Facebook and Instagram, several of which will be turned on by default for all teen accounts. Android Authority reported that these include mandatory time limits and default safeguards that restrict access to core features such as Reels and Stories during certain hours of the day.