Here’s what Meta’s $18 billion multistate settlement could mean for kids — and for its bottom line | CNN Business

New York —

Meta on Wednesday agreed to make sweeping changes to its platforms as part of an $18 billion settlement with dozens of states over claims its platforms contributed to a youth mental health crisis.

Regulators and online safety advocates called it a watershed moment, and both Meta and state attorneys general called on TikTok and YouTube to make similar changes.

But whether the settlement fundamentally alters the business of one of the world’s most powerful tech giants remains an open question.

The $18 billion agreement is a drop in the bucket for the nearly $1.5 trillion company (META) and a fraction of what states were seeking at trial, although Meta still faces hundreds of other similar cases. The litigation so far has revealed internal documents suggesting that Meta knew of the risks its platforms posed to young people, despite public statements about its commitments to safety.