Meta agrees up to $17bn settlement over social media harms to children

Meta has agreed to a settlement in a landmark case brought against it by various states across the USA.  

It was accused that the technology company's platforms were addictive and harmful to children, according to filings that were released today.  

The agreement will require Meta to pay up to $17bn. It has also agreed to establish safeguarding measures, such as daily usage limits and nighttime curfews for teenagers in the US.  

Opening statements in the jury trial began last week in a federal court in Oakland, California. California was one of the 29 states suing the tech giant.  

It was also alleged that Meta regularly collected data on children younger than 13 without parental permission.  

Rob Bonta, the attorney general for California, said: "Today, we have secured a settlement with Meta that will make social media less dangerous for our kids and make a world of a difference for children and their families."  

He added: "Meta has agreed to make massive transformations that will reduce the risk of harm from its platforms – and will do it within months."

Meta has always denied the allegations made against it in the case around failing young people, including claims that it deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive and breached child laws.  

Following the settlement, the company said it marks an "important step" and hopes to set a new "industry standard".

It said: "Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta. We want to get this right for parents and teens."

The statement went on: "We know that when teens are restricted on one app, they simply move to another.