Meta Platforms has agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion to settle claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children and teens, according to court documents.
The settlement was reached during a federal trial in California involving claims brought by 29 states. Authorities alleged that Meta designed its platforms to be addictive for young users, misled consumers about safety and improperly collected personal data from children.
As part of the agreement, Meta will introduce additional protections for teenage users across Facebook and Instagram. The measures include daily usage limits and nighttime restrictions.
Meta denied wrongdoing while agreeing to settle the case. The company has maintained that it has worked to protect young people on its platforms and disputed claims that its services were deliberately designed to cause addiction.
The settlement follows growing legal pressure on major social media companies over alleged harm to children and teenagers. Meta, Snap, Alphabet’s YouTube and TikTok parent ByteDance continue to face thousands of lawsuits across federal and state courts.
The broader litigation alleges that social media companies used platform features that encouraged excessive use and contributed to concerns surrounding youth mental health.
Meta has also faced recent legal setbacks. In March, a New Mexico jury ordered the company to pay $375 million after finding it had misled consumers about platform safety. Earlier this month, a judge ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million and implement youth-safety measures after finding the company created a public nuisance.
The latest settlement could become one of the largest agreements involving allegations over social media’s impact on children. It also highlights increasing scrutiny of technology companies over privacy, platform design and youth safety.
