Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to U.S. states over allegations that its platforms harmed children's mental health. This is the largest amount ever paid in child safety-related lawsuits and will be paid over the next 10 years. However, Meta continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Beyond the financial settlement, Meta must implement major changes to its platforms to better protect children online. These include a Night Mode feature for teenagers that will automatically disable notifications from midnight to 6 a.m., as well as usage limits restricting daily use to just 2 hours. Additionally, Meta must disable notifications during school hours and hide the number of likes on posts.
In court, state attorneys presented Meta's internal documents, strongly arguing that the company failed to prevent children as young as 11 and 12 years old from using its platforms. This major concession from Meta has sent shockwaves through the social media world, and other platforms like TikTok and YouTube are now facing pressure to implement similar restrictions.
Ref: BBC
