Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion in compensation and to introduce child safety measures on its platforms, according to the attorneys general of 47 states.
The legal proceedings concerning teenage addiction to social media and the harm caused came to an end after prosecutors stated that Meta had agreed to pay a multi-billion-dollar fine and strengthen child safety measures on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.
“The settlement will put an end to these dangerous practices and deliver meaningful relief that will protect children from online harm,” said Attorney General Jay Jones, adding that “for years, Meta intentionally deceived the public about the addictive and harmful design features that have wreaked havoc on young people’s mental health.”
Under the new measures, the company will restrict the sending of push notifications during school hours on weekdays. In order to prevent bullying and the spread of harmful content, age verification systems and specialised filters are being introduced. The platform will also enhance parental control features and minimise elements of social comparison, in particular the display of the number of “likes.”
The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of 29 state attorneys-general, who accused Meta of deliberately introducing features such as an endless news feed, push notifications and “like” counters. The prosecutors claimed that these features were purposefully created to capture children’s attention, which ultimately triggered a widespread mental health crisis amongst young people. The plaintiffs also alleged a breach of federal law by systematically collecting personal information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent.
Furthermore, the company faced accusations of concealing the results of its own research. This internal data demonstrated that the platforms are addictive and harmful to teenagers’ mental health. Nevertheless, the company not only withheld the reports from the public but also failed to take measures to protect children and warn parents.
Still, the compensation paid is unlikely to cause the company any significant financial loss, given that Meta’s total revenue for 2025 stood at $201 billion.
This is not Meta’s first legal case this year. In early August, a court in New Mexico ruled that Meta was guilty of causing harm to children’s mental health and ordered it to pay a fine of $567 million, as well as to change the way its platforms operate for young users.
