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Meta reaches settlement in US states child safety case
Court documents say Meta will pay up to $16.68 billion and must add protections like school-hours access limits and stronger age verification.
Meta has reached a settlement with US states and territories to resolve a federal court case tied to child safety issues on Facebook and Instagram, BBC Business reports. The agreement is set during a California federal court trial over claims brought by 29 states.
Court documents cited by BBC Business say Meta will pay a maximum of $16.68 billion. The case alleged the company violated multiple federal and state privacy laws involving children.
Under the settlement terms, Meta is required to introduce rules for teenage users, including daily time limits and night-time blocks, as well as limitations on access during school hours.
The states involved argued Meta used its platforms to attract and harm youth, while District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb called the outcome a public health victory, according to BBC Business. Meta said it expects other platforms like TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar safety features.