Settlement Reached in Child Safety Trial Against Meta
By Delia Gallmeyer, M.S., MHC-LP
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has settled a significant lawsuit brought by state attorneys across the nation. The lawsuit accused Meta of designing its applications to be a addictive to young people and misleading the public about safety risks for youth. As part of the settlement, Meta did not admit to any wrongdoing.
Meta is expected to pay over $17 billion in penalties for public health initiatives which will include funding for crisis intervention, afterschool programs, and outdoor activities for youth. In addition to the financial payout, Meta is required to implement crucial changes to its platforms to enhance safety for minors. These changes include:
• Fewer Notifications: Notifications will be disabled overnight and during school hours.
• Access to Apps Overnight: Access will be blocked from midnight to 6:00 a.m.
• Screen Time Limits: Youth under 18 will be restricted to spending a maximum of two hours a day on Meta’s social media platforms.
• Harmful Default Features: The display of the number of “likes” or reactions to posts by minors will be turned off, along with a ban on cosmetic surgery image filters for minors.
• More Stringent Age Checks: Accounts belonging to children under 13 will be actively flagged.
• Choice of Feed Type: Youth will have the option to switch from algorithmic feed to chronological feed.
For parents, educators, and youth professionals, the agreement emphasizes the importance of digital well-being which includes fostering healthy technology habits, protecting privacy, managing notifications, recognizing unhealthy online behaviors, and establishing technology-free times. Ultimately, ensuring online safety involves shared responsibility, ongoing research, and vigilance.
View the NCADD-RA’s Fall 2026 newsletter for more articles on addiction prevention and support.
Sources:
Ruwitch, J. (2026, August 26). Meta, states agree to $17 billion settlement in child safety trial. NPR. npr.org/2026/08/26/nx-s1-5944781/meta-settlement-child-safety-lawsuit
Meta Agrees to New Facebook, Instagram Limits for Teens in $18 Billion Settlement. (2026). AllSides. allsides.com/story/technology-meta-agreesnew-facebook-instagram-limits-teens-18-million-settlement.