Meta agrees to $18 billion settlement on teen-use restrictions

Meta Platforms announced Wednesday that it will settle a lawsuit brought by California and 28 other states alleging its platforms foster addiction among minors. The agreement provides for a payment of roughly $18 billion, which the company says can be used for youth-online safety programs and other state priorities.

Under the settlement, teenage accounts on Facebook and Instagram will default to a two-hour daily usage limit across both apps, with parental consent required to lift the restriction. Additional measures include hiding likes on teen posts, blocking certain extreme makeup filters, offering a non-algorithmic feed as the default, and allowing users to disable autoplay video. Meta will also add tools to help parents monitor and protect their children’s activity online.

"The settlement will make social media less dangerous for our kids and make a world of a difference for children and their families," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said.

"The framework we’ve negotiated will empower parents to easily manage how their children access our platforms," Meta’s chief legal officer C.J. Mahoney said.

Mahoney called on other platforms, such as TikTok and YouTube, to adopt similar safeguards, though representatives for those companies have not responded. The deal still requires judicial approval; Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers indicated she is inclined to approve it but needs more time for review.

The settlement follows other legal actions against Meta, including a $900 million judgment in New Mexico and a California court finding liability for contributing to a user’s mental-health decline. Meta maintains that it has existing safety features for young users and that the states’ claims focus on selective aspects of its services.