Meta has reached a settlement with state attorneys general that will impose new restrictions on teen usage of Facebook and Instagram, limiting daily screen time and blocking access during overnight hours. The company is now urging competitors, including TikTok and YouTube, to adopt similar industry-wide standards.
Under the terms of the agreement, which resolves a multi-state lawsuit filed in 2023, teens will be limited to a combined two hours per day on Facebook and Instagram. Access will be blocked between midnight and 6 a.m., although messaging features will remain available. Notifications will be silenced during school hours, and the company will implement stronger age-detection systems and default settings that restrict the visibility of 'likes' on posts and the use of certain beauty filters.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated in an open letter that the company hopes rivals will join this effort to "support teens and empower parents." He emphasized that these protections will only be fully effective if other platforms implement comparable measures. The settlement is structured to incentivize other social media companies to reach similar agreements with state attorneys general.
If Snap, TikTok, and YouTube agree to adopt Meta's proposed framework and settle their own legal challenges, Meta has committed to even stricter limitations. The daily time limit for teens on Meta's platforms would be reduced from two hours to one hour. Additionally, Meta would increase its settlement payout from an initial $12 billion to over $17 billion if competitors join the framework. A source familiar with the deal explained that this incentive structure aims to ensure a comprehensive agreement and continued action across the industry, addressing concerns that teens might simply move to unrestricted platforms if only Meta implements limitations.
The lawsuit alleged that Meta designed addictive features that harmed minors and improperly collected their data. The funds from the settlement, which will be paid out over 10 years, are designated for states to use towards addressing the harms of youth social media use, such as funding counseling or wellness campaigns. Individuals will not receive direct compensation.
This settlement still requires a judge's approval but is expected to be implemented within the next six months. Meta views this outcome as positive after years of negotiations in a case that had the potential to cost the company significantly more. The market showed a slight positive reaction, with Meta's stock price increasing marginally on the day of the announcement.
Sources indicate that Snap may be open to voluntarily committing to the framework, but there has been no indication from TikTok or YouTube regarding their willingness to participate. Representatives for Snap, TikTok, and YouTube did not immediately respond to requests for comment.