New York —
Meta said Wednesday it has agreed to pay about $18 billion as part of a settlement to resolve a multistate lawsuit claiming that it intentionally designed addictive platforms that harmed young people’s mental health.
The settlement ends a landmark legal battle for the social media giant.
As part of the settlement, Meta has agreed to make changes to its platforms, such as establishing daily time limits for teen users, according to a court filing.
Just over $17 billion will go to settling a lawsuit brought jointly by 29 states in 2023; the remainder will settle claims between Meta and other states and territories. The payment will provide funding for state “youth online safety initiatives,” according to the company.
