Tech giant Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle major legal cases with US states. The states accused the company of building app features that intentionally make children and teenagers addicted to social media, causing mental health issues like anxiety and depression. This settlement is one of the biggest legal payouts by a single company in history. As part of the agreement, Meta will bring major changes to protect young users on its platforms.
For teenagers, Meta will introduce strict daily usage limits on Facebook and Instagram. Apps will block usage during late night hours between midnight and 6 a.m. Notifications will also be muted during school hours to help students focus on their studies. Additionally, Meta will hide like counts on posts by teenagers to reduce pressure and social competition. The company will also improve its age checking technology so young kids under 13 cannot create accounts.
The money from the settlement will be paid over 10 years and will be used to support youth mental health programs and online safety initiatives. However, Meta stated that it does not accept any wrongdoing in this case. Industry experts say this landmark decision will push other social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube to make similar safety changes for children worldwide.
