Meta Platforms will pay up to $16.68 billion to resolve claims brought by 29 U.S. states that its social media platforms harm minors, court filings showed on Wednesday.
The settlement, disclosed in documents from a federal court in California, requires Meta to implement nationwide changes for teenage users, including default daily time limits and overnight access restrictions. The agreement spares the company from a high-profile trial.
State attorneys general had accused Meta of designing its platforms to foster addiction among minors and misleading users about safety features. The company also faced allegations of unlawfully collecting children’s personal data to train artificial intelligence models. Meta reiterated its denial of the claims while affirming its commitment to child safety on its platforms.
