Meta has agreed to a settlement of up to $16.68 billion in the case over social-media addiction among teenagers. Twenty-nine US states had accused the company of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive.
The allegations
The plaintiffs accused Meta of designing its platforms to hook children and teens, misleading consumers about their safety and improperly collecting children’s personal data. The California trial had begun on 18 August and was expected to last six weeks; witnesses included Instagram chief Adam Mosseri as well as current and former Meta employees.
What Meta must change
The settlement requires Meta to introduce daily time caps and overnight restrictions for teen users, to strengthen age checks and to expand parental controls. According to reports, the payment adds up to roughly $18 billion over ten years, to fund youth online-safety initiatives. Meta denies any wrongdoing.
