Key facts
- Meta agreed to a $18 billion settlement with 29 U.S. states over child privacy.
- The settlement addresses Meta's historic gathering and use of data from children under 13.
- New safety features include a two-hour daily time limit for known teen users.
- Notifications will be muted between midnight and 06:00 and during school hours.
- Likes on posts will be entirely hidden for teen users on Instagram and Facebook.
- Meta is not admitting to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
Meta has agreed to a $18 billion settlement with 29 U.S. states over allegations concerning children's online privacy, a case that highlighted the company's online safety practices. The trial, based on the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), focused on Meta's historical data collection from users under 13.
While the trial technically centered on privacy laws, it served as a broader examination of Meta's commitment to child safety. The settlement comes as the social media industry faces increasing scrutiny globally, with 2026 anticipated as a pivotal year for addressing the impact of platforms on young users. Meta has previously defended its safety measures, which include over 60 tools on platforms like Instagram, though some parents find them overwhelming.
Key terms of the settlement include new default safety features for known teen users on Instagram and Facebook. These measures involve a two-hour daily time limit, muted notifications during nighttime and school hours, and the complete hiding of likes on posts. Most of these changes are expected within six months, while enhanced child identification efforts will take up to a year.
During the trial, whistleblower Arturo Bejar claimed that internal warnings about harm to children on the platform were not acted upon. Another executive reportedly suggested Meta sometimes opted to pay regulatory fines rather than implement changes. Internal documents indicated that safety features with low opt-in rates were still launched without being switched on by default.
If Meta had lost the trial, it could have faced fines in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with a worst-case scenario reaching $1.4 trillion. The $18 billion settlement, spread over 10 years, is significantly smaller and does not involve an admission of wrongdoing by Meta. The company relies heavily on the vast user data from its social apps for advertising revenue, even as it pivots towards AI.
Experts suggest that the new safety measures implemented by Meta may need to be adopted by rival platforms like TikTok and Snapchat to be truly effective. The long-term impact on user engagement remains to be seen, with some questioning if these changes will lead to a more 'bland' offering that could signal the natural decline of the social media era.