Meta to Implement New Child Safety Features on Instagram and Facebook After $18 B Settlement
Meta has agreed to a $18 billion settlement with 48 U.S. states, requiring it to add usage limits, night curfews and parental-control tools for users under 18 on its platforms.
Meta announced on Wednesday that it will pay up to $18 billion to settle a federal lawsuit brought by 48 U.S. states alleging the company’s platforms endanger children. The agreement obliges the social-media giant to roll out a series of safety measures on Instagram and Facebook for users younger than 18.
Under the deal, teen accounts will be limited to two hours of use per day and blocked from midnight to 6 a.m. Likes and reactions will be hidden by default, and cosmetic-filter features that alter appearance will be disabled unless a parent grants consent. Push notifications will be largely turned off during school hours, and parents will receive daily reports on their child’s activity, including alerts when the teen searches for terms related to self-harm or contacts an adult for the first time.
Meta also pledged to improve age-verification technology, using both its own and third-party tools, and to submit regular independent audits of the system. The company denied wrongdoing but said it wants to ensure a “safe and productive experience” for teens.
The settlement includes payments of up to $16.7 billion to states and territories, with California slated to receive $2.2 billion and New York $1.1 billion. Meta will pay roughly $12.7 billion over ten years, with the remaining amount contingent on rival platforms adopting comparable safeguards.
Critics note that while the measures address certain features, they do not overhaul the underlying recommendation algorithms. Child-safety advocates argue that broader, permanent regulations are needed to protect minors across all online services.