Breaking News Meta settles landmark child harm case for $18 billion and promises changes to its platforms

Meta Platforms has reached a substantial settlement of up to $18 billion with a coalition of U.S. states and territories to resolve allegations that its social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, harm children. The agreement, which is subject to court approval, addresses claims that Meta designed its services with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to mental health risks, and misled the public about the safety of its platforms. The payout, which includes a guaranteed minimum of $12.1 billion, is designated for various public health initiatives aimed at remediating harms to youth.

As part of the settlement, Meta has committed to implementing significant changes across its platforms to enhance child safety. These reforms include establishing default daily time limits for users under 18, blocking app usage during overnight hours, and disabling push notifications during the school day. The company will also hide "like" counts by default, ban cosmetic surgery filters, and introduce more robust age verification measures and parental control tools.

This landmark settlement, described as one of the largest consumer protection agreements in U.S. history, aims to fundamentally transform how social media platforms interact with young users. While Meta has denied any wrongdoing, the agreement seeks to provide stronger protections for children online through these new safeguards and independent oversight.