Meta agrees to $18 billion deal and new child-safety rules

Meta has struck an $18 billion agreement with 48 state attorneys general, a sum far lower than the $1.4 trillion the states originally sought. The payment could average about $530 million per year over ten years, while the company also commits to new safeguards for minors, including a two-hour daily usage limit and automatic night-time restrictions. Additional measures require disabling notifications during school hours, issuing alerts every 15 minutes of continuous screen time, and providing stronger parental controls.

Observers acknowledge the financial penalty as a meaningful signal but point out that the settlement does not mandate alterations to Meta’s recommendation algorithms. They further caution that unless competing platforms adopt comparable rules, children may shift to services without these limits, undermining the intended protections. The agreement may also spur legislative action, such as the pending Kids Online Safety Act, to impose broader government oversight.