WORLD
Meta settles children’s addiction case, agrees to pay US States $18 billion
- IBJ Bureau
- Aug 27, 2026
Meta Platforms will pay US States up to $18 billion over the next decade and strictly limit how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram.
These developments follow Meta’s agreement with nearly all US States to resolve claims that it had designed the platforms to addict children.
The settlements announced on Wednesday end a federal trial over allegations that Meta’s products harmed children and the company misled the public about their safety.
Four of the States — California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey — were expected to seek close to $200 billion in civil penalties.
While Meta will not undergo a fundamental overhaul, the accords represent a sweeping effort to define how it serves young users.
It could provide a template for resolving thousands of other lawsuits against social media companies.
Governments around the world are trying to curb children’s access to harmful online content, including a ban in Australia on social media for children under 16.
“The focus of this case was to protect our kids,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has said in a statement.
“The relief we are getting in this settlement is very meaningful and well beyond what any court has ordered or is likely to order,” he has added.
Meta has agreed over the next decade to restrict teenagers’ use of Facebook and Instagram to two hours a day and block all usage from midnight to 6 am without parental consent.
These limits could be tightened if the social media platforms Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube adopt similar terms.
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