Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, has reached a settlement of up to $17.1 billion in a lawsuit with U.S. state governments over allegations that it designed social media to be addictive for children and teenagers.
On August 26, local time, the offices of attorneys general from states including New York and California announced that Meta has agreed to pay a substantial settlement and enhance protections for minors on Facebook and Instagram. The agreement is subject to court approval before it becomes final.
The minimum amount Meta will pay is $12.2 billion, which could increase to $17.1 billion depending on whether other major social media companies participate in similar agreements in the future.
The lawsuit was initiated by state governments claiming that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram that encourage excessive use among teenagers and failed to adequately disclose the associated risks. The lawsuit also included allegations of collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. Meta has denied these allegations.
The case was recently underway in a federal court in Oakland, California, with California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey participating in the proceedings. This settlement is expected to conclude the related claims from the participating state governments.
As part of the settlement, Meta will limit the daily usage time for users under 18 on Facebook and Instagram to two hours and will restrict access from midnight to 6 a.m. Additionally, push notifications will be limited from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and notifications during school hours will be blocked. Some features, such as messaging, will be exempt from these restrictions.
Measures to verify the age of minors will also be strengthened. Meta will identify and remove accounts belonging to users under 13, enhance privacy settings for youth accounts, and increase the blocking of harmful content. An independent auditor will be appointed to monitor compliance with the settlement.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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