Meta has settled a major lawsuit in the United States for $18 billion over allegations that Facebook and Instagram foster addiction among children and adolescents. The agreement includes substantial restrictions on how young users can access the platforms.
Under the settlement terms, Meta must limit Facebook and Instagram usage for minors to two hours per day, block access between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental consent, disable most push notifications during school hours (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and strengthen age-gating measures for restricted content.
The payment structure splits responsibility across the industry. Meta will pay 70% of the settlement—$12.6 billion—immediately. The remaining 30% ($5.4 billion) will only be due if competing platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat face similar legal orders requiring comparable screen-time protections. This conditional structure attempts to level the playing field and prevent Meta from bearing the entire burden of industry-wide reform.