International News: Meta agrees to nearly $18 billion settlement over claims of harm to children

By Zoila Palma:  Meta has agreed to an approximately $18 billion settlement to resolve claims brought by 29 state attorneys general that the company intentionally designed its social media platforms to be addictive and harmful to young people’s mental health.

The agreement brings an end to a major legal battle involving the company’s handling of children and teens on platforms including Instagram, CNN reports.

Under the settlement, Meta has agreed to introduce changes aimed at improving online safety for young users, including establishing daily time limits for teen users. The company said the nearly $18 billion payment will also fund youth online safety initiatives by states.

The settlement was reached shortly after a trial began in California, where four states had been seeking up to $1.4 trillion in damages along with changes to Meta’s platforms.

The states accused the company of improperly collecting data from minors, designing its platforms to encourage addiction and misleading the public about the safety of its services.

Meta has denied that its platforms harm children and said the states’ claims were unsubstantiated.

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