Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, settled a landmark social media addiction lawsuit on Wednesday brought by dozens of states, according to a court filing.

Meta agreed to pay $17 billion to the states that sued and add child-safety measures to its platforms. The settlement resolves claims filed by 47 states.

California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were among the 29 states that first filed suit against Meta in 2023, alleging that the technology giant used its social media platforms to “entice, engage and ultimately ensnare” young internet users and misled the public about the risks. 

Meta also violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting and using the personal data of residents under the age of 13, the suit alleged.

In a statement, Meta called the settlement an important step and encouraged other social media players to implement safety measures to protect youth. 

“We just announced an agreement with a bipartisan group of 52 Attorneys General across U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia to set a new industry standard, building on our longstanding efforts to empower parents and support teens,” a Meta spokesperson said in an email. “While this is an important step, these protections will only be truly effective if our peers-TikTok and YouTube-put the same measures in place.”

New safeguards

Meta will put in place new child safety measures under the settlement, including a two-hour daily time limit for teens with mandatory pauses; a nighttime block that restricts minors from accessing feeds; and muted push notifications during school hours.

There will also be stronger, more user-friendly parental controls and limits on social-comparison features, such as “like” counts.