Meta Platforms Inc. will pay $18 billion to settle a lawsuit that accused it of making children addicted to Facebook and Instagram.

The case was brought in 2023 by 29 state attorneys general. Meta signed today’s settlement with the attorneys general of 48 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Complying with the agreement will require the company not only to pay compensation but also to upgrade its age detection features. Additionally, Meta will significantly expand the child safety guardrails embedded in Facebook and Instagram.

The company has agreed to block users under 18 from accessing its social networks between midnight and 6 a.m. Furthermore, it will roll out a cumulative usage limit of two hours per day across Facebook and Instagram. If Meta detects that a minor has multiple accounts, the accounts will all count toward a single daily usage cap.

The company plans to restrict the content displayed to children at the times when its platforms are accessible. In particular, Meta will no longer show cosmetic procedure image filters and the number of reactions that posts receive. Parents, in turn, will receive the ability to switch their children’s accounts to an unpersonalized feed.

Another set of upcoming controls will focus on push notifications. Meta won’t deliver alerts to users under 18 from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and during the school day. An independent auditor will ensure that the company upholds its push notification restrictions and the other commitments set forth in today’s agreement.

The state AGs’ lawsuit also covered certain other topics besides social media addiction. Notably, the plaintiffs accused Meta of collecting too much data about users under 13 and misleading parents about the safety of its platforms. Going forward, Meta will be subject to an injunction prohibiting it from making deceptive statements about its social media safety practices.

“Today, we have secured a settlement with Meta that will make social media less dangerous for our kids and make a world of a difference for children and their families,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Meta has agreed to make massive transformations that will reduce the risk of harm from its platforms — and will do it within months.”

Meta will disburse about $12.7 billion, or 70% of the compensation allocated to the plaintiffs, over 10 years. The company will pay out the remaining $5.3 billion only if YouTube and TikTok implement several of the core safety features it has agreed to roll out. Furthermore, the payment is contingent on the two social networks each paying $5.3 billion.

If YouTube and TikTok adopt the safety measures in question, Meta will upgrade its own guardrails. In particular, the company will expand its nighttime social media ban for minors to between 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Meta will also reduce the daily usage limit of Instagram and Meta to one hour per app.

The company today issued a statement that calls on YouTube and TikTok to implement the same safety measures “right away.” Additionally, it argues that app store operators should enhance their age verification measures. Meta argues that such upgrades would make it easier for social media companies to consistently implement safety guardrails. 

Photo: Meta