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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Meta agrees to pay up to $18 billion and roll out sweeping child safety features on Instagram and Facebook after 52 attorneys general alleged the platforms were deliberately designed to hook kids. New protections include daily screen time caps, Night Mode, School Mode, and stronger parental controls. The deal still needs court approval and calls on TikTok and YouTube to follow suit.
Meta has agreed to a landmark settlement of up to $18 billion with a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, resolving allegations that Instagram and Facebook were intentionally designed to addict children and adolescents while misleading the public about the associated mental health risks. The deal, which cuts short an ongoing federal trial in Oakland, California, will be paid out annually over 10 years and is subject to court approval.
As part of the agreement, Meta will implement a sweeping set of safety features targeting users under 18. These include a default 2-hour daily screen time limit, Night Mode (blocking access from midnight to 6 a.m.), School Mode (muting notifications during school hours), and screen time prompts at 15, 60, and 90 minutes. Likes will be hidden by default, extreme makeup filters will be blocked, and algorithmic feeds can be turned off. An independent auditor will oversee compliance for five years.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: This is one of the largest tech-accountability settlements in U.S. history and sets a new industry benchmark for child online safety. For clinicians treating adolescent mental health, the mandated platform changes could meaningfully reduce compulsive social media use — a known contributor to anxiety, depression, and body image issues in teens.
