Meta agrees $18bn settlement over claims its apps harm children
Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle a landmark US lawsuit brought by 29 states over claims its platforms were designed to be addictive to children.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The social media giant Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle a landmark lawsuit brought by 29 US states that accused the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children.
The settlement, announced in California, brings to an end a trial that had been underway for just over a week. Meta has not admitted any wrongdoing but has agreed to introduce a series of changes to its platforms for teenage users in the US, including two-hour daily time limits, a night-time block between midnight and 6am, and a ban on displaying numbers of likes or reactions.
The case was the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history, with states seeking penalties that could have reached $1.4 trillion. The trial had already heard damaging testimony from whistleblowers, including former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar, who claimed the company took a "don't ask, don't tell" policy towards children under 13 on Instagram.
The settlement includes a payment of between $13 billion and $18 billion over 10 years, with 30% of the money contingent on rivals TikTok and YouTube implementing similar safety measures. Meta has called on its competitors to adopt the same framework.
The case follows a series of legal defeats for Meta, including a New Mexico ruling that ordered the company to pay nearly $1 billion in fines after a judge described the company as a "public nuisance" and compared its platforms to toxic pollution.
Campaigners have welcomed the settlement but say it does not go far enough, and the changes will initially only apply to users in the United States. The settlement also includes enhanced age verification measures and options to switch off autoplay and algorithmic recommendations.
Meta has said the framework will only work if all its peers join, and has called on TikTok and YouTube to implement the same changes. The company has also said the settlement builds on its long-standing efforts to empower parents and support teens.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC NEWS Signed | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta paid $17 billion in the settlement. | · | · | |||||||
| The settlement includes changes such as disabling teen users from seeing likes or reactions and measures to prevent children from accessing platforms. | · | · | |||||||
| A lawsuit against Meta was brought by 29 US state attorneys general from both political parties. | · | · | · | ||||||
| A New Mexico judge fined Meta over half a billion dollars for failing to warn about risks to children. | · | · | · | · | |||||
| Meta agreed to pay $16.68 billion to multiple US states to settle a court case related to child safety. | · | · | · | · | |||||
| A New Mexico judge ruled that Meta's conduct was a public nuisance contributing to a youth mental health crisis. | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Meta denied the allegations and said it stands by its record of creating strong protections for teens. | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Meta has been ordered to pay nearly a billion dollars in previous cases. | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Meta will appeal the ruling. | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Potential damages in the Meta lawsuit could reach hundreds of billions of dollars. | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| The settlement includes an incentive for state attorneys general to secure similar commitments from competitors like TikTok, which a legal expert said may serve as a template for pursuing other platforms. | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| The US Justice Department sued TikTok and ByteDance in 2024. | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Provided the most comprehensive coverage, tracking the story from the New Mexico fine through the California trial to the settlement. Featured expert analysis from technology journalists, former Meta insiders, and legal experts, with a focus on the legal and regulatory implications.
- “Meta is fined more than half a billion dollars. A judge says the tech giant fails to warn the public about the risks it poses to children.”
- “The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has taken to the stand in a landmark social media trial defending his company's privacy policies and digital well-being settings for children.”
- “Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to a multi-billion dollar settlement over claims that were brought by several US states that its platforms harm children.”
Focused on the practical implications for families and the financial impact on Meta. Used studio analysis to break down the numbers and what the changes would mean for teenagers, with a clear explanatory approach.
- “Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram has been fined another £421 million for what a US judge said was its failure to warn the public about the dangers its platforms pose to children.”
- “the tech giant has agreed to pay 17 billion dollars to settle claims over how its platforms facebook and instagram impact young people”
Regional BBC coverage that focused on the legal details and the potential global impact. Covered the New Mexico fine, the trial, and the settlement with a straightforward news approach.
- “a judge in the united states has fined the social media giant meta more than 420 million pounds are failing to warn the public about the dangers that its platforms pose to children”
- “The owner of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, is to pay about $17 billion to settle a lawsuit brought by a number of US states”
Strong focus on the human impact, with interviews with bereaved parents and campaigners. Used emotional framing to highlight the stakes of the case, while also covering the legal and financial details.
- “Meta has agreed to pay £12.5 billion to end claims brought by 29 US states who claimed that Meta had knowingly made its social media apps, Instagram and Facebook, addictive to children.”
- “No amount of money is ever going to bring my beautiful daughter back.”
Analytical approach, covering the legal strategy and the broader implications for the tech industry. Featured interviews with lawyers and campaigners, and highlighted the internal documents that emerged during the case.
- “The social media giant Meta has been fined an additional $567 million by a court in New Mexico.”
- “META has agreed to pay up to $17 billion and add child safety measures to settle claims brought by dozens of US states that its platforms harmed children.”
Focused on the scale of the lawsuit and the potential damages, with expert legal analysis. Covered the trial and the settlement with an emphasis on the financial stakes for Meta.
- “Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook has agreed to pay almost $17 billion to multiple US states to settle a court case related to child safety.”
- “Meta have settled out of court, albeit with a huge payment, $16.68 billion.”
Newsnight focused on the human impact of the settlement, interviewing a mother who lost her daughter and a lawyer representing families. Took a reflective, in-depth approach to the story.
- “the social media giant Meta which owns Facebook and Instagram has agreed to pay an $18 billion settlement with US states which claim the websites harmed children.”
Opinion-led coverage focusing on the broader debate about social media regulation and the addictive design of platforms. Took a more conversational, panel-discussion approach.
- “tech giant pays 17 billion quid over child harm”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.