The Independent
·26 Aug 2026
Meta just settled for $17 billion. Here’s what to know about claims social media hurts kids
Meta Platforms agreed to pay up to $18 billion to resolve lawsuits brought by U.S. states over alleged harms to children, including claims that its services were designed to encourage addiction and that it mishandled children’s data. The agreement requires measures such as default daily time limits and nighttime access blocks for teenage users. More than 1,000 school districts and over 3,300 individuals have also sued Meta and other platforms, alleging links to anxiety, depression, self-harm and related costs. Early bellwether cases have produced multimillion-dollar verdicts against Meta and Google, while several defendants have settled and others plan to appeal.