Meta settles youth mental health lawsuit brought by 29 states for $18 billion
Tech giant Meta has reached an $18 billion settlement with 29 states over allegations of youth addiction and privacy violations on Instagram and Facebook.
In a youth mental health lawsuit brought by 29 states across the United States, Meta has agreed to a record-breaking settlement of up to $18 billion over allegations of child addiction and privacy violations on Instagram and Facebook.
Court Proceedings and Allegations
In the proceedings held at the district court in Oakland, California, the company was accused of knowingly addicting children to its platforms through its social media networks. State attorneys general stated that no measures were taken despite the known negative effects of the platforms on underage individuals.
Data Privacy and COPPA Violations
State administrations stated that the social media giant recorded the personal data of children under 13 without parental consent and violated federal laws. Under the terms of the settlement text, Meta will not be legally considered to have admitted these allegations directed at its platforms.
New Security and Time Limits
If the court gives its final approval, the parent company will implement new security systems to protect young users. Within this scope, a default daily usage limit of two hours in total will begin on both platforms.
Notifications and Night Restrictions
Young users will encounter special warning screens when they complete certain periods of time on the applications. By default, young people will be completely blocked from logging into Meta networks from midnight until 6:00 AM, and notifications will be silenced during school hours.
Filters and Age Verification
Excessive makeup filters, which have been debated for causing body image disorders, will be removed. The company will also allocate a budget to advanced age verification technologies to detect children under 13 trying to enter the system.
Financial Package and Payment Terms
The $18 billion financial package to be transferred to the states will be paid over a 10-year schedule. A critical $5.3 billion portion of the compensation package is conditioned on other industry giants, TikTok and YouTube, also introducing similar restrictions.