Meta will pay up to $18 billion over 10 years — and implement broad child-safety reforms on Instagram and Facebook — under a nationwide settlement with 52 state attorneys general, including California’s Rob Bonta.
The agreement, subject to court approval, resolves claims by the state AGs that Meta designed Instagram with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to serious mental harms, and intentionally misled the public about the safety of its platforms, among other things.
The case, brought by a group of 29 states, was co-led by California’s Bonta — who is currently locked in a standoff with Paramount over an antitrust suit seeking to block its Warner Bros. Discovery takeover — and AGs from Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky.
The settlement comes after the trial in the case began on Aug. 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Meta said the agreement includes a payment of approximately $18 billion, which “can be used to fund youth online safety initiatives, among other state priorities.” The social media giant said the payment will be distributed in annual installments over a 10-year period. Participating states will receive approximately 70% (approximately $12.7 billion) of the allocated payment over the decade. The remaining 30% (approximately $5.3 billion) will be released only after two specific conditions are met: If YouTube and TikTok implement a one-hour daily limit, night mode, and age assurance measures; and YouTube and TikTok each pay an amount matching the 30% figure, with half of the remaining funds tied to YouTube’s payment and half tied to TikTok’s.
