Imran Rahman-Jones

The UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, says governments should require all social media platforms to protect children rather than waiting for lawsuits. Meta agreed to pay up to $18bn to 48 US states, the District of Columbia and three territories while introducing measures including one-hour daily limits, night mode and age-assurance tools. Up to $5.3bn of the settlement depends on TikTok and YouTube adopting similar measures, while California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned that further action could follow if platforms do not cooperate. The UN supports safer design, privacy protections and age verification but rejects outright social media bans for children.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk says Meta's agreement to introduce child-safety measures should prompt broader reform across the social media industry. The settlement with 48 US states, Washington, DC and three US territories could require Meta to implement one-hour daily limits, night mode and age-assurance measures, while part of the financial penalty depends on TikTok and YouTube adopting similar features. Türk supports safer design, privacy protections and improved age verification but rejects outright bans on children's social media use. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said authorities may pursue further action if other platforms do not voluntarily follow Meta's example.

Meta has agreed to pay nearly $18 billion to settle lawsuits brought by 48 US states, the District of Columbia and three territories alleging that Facebook and Instagram harmed children and violated child-privacy laws. The settlement, payable over up to 10 years, does not include an admission of wrongdoing, but requires Meta to introduce measures including two-hour daily usage limits, automatic overnight notification restrictions, school mode, parental alerts, reduced algorithmic recommendations, disabled autoplay and limits on appearance-altering filters. Court evidence included internal studies and communications alleging that Meta knew many 11- and 12-year-olds were using its platforms but did little to stop them. Meta defended its recent safety work, while officials urged TikTok, YouTube and other platforms to adopt comparable protections.

Meta has agreed to pay up to $18bn to nearly all US states over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children, while introducing measures including overnight restrictions, screen-time prompts and greater parental controls. The settlement does not apply directly to the UK, which already has an Online Safety Act and plans to ban social-media access for under-16s from 2027, but it could encourage the UK and other governments to seek comparable protections. Meta is also pressing TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to adopt the same rules, although those companies have not publicly committed to doing so. Settlement funds will support initiatives such as mental-health services and education, but campaigners argue that limits on usage do not address harmful content and that the agreement is not a complete solution. The deal also restricts how Meta uses young people's data and increases pressure to improve age assurance, while raising concerns that age verification could require collecting more personal information.

Meta agreed to pay up to $18bn to nearly all US states and introduce stronger child-safety measures on Facebook and Instagram, including overnight restrictions, time limits, screen-time warnings and parental controls, without admitting wrongdoing. The measures currently apply only in the US, but could pressure Meta and rival platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to adopt similar protections internationally. The UK already has an Online Safety Act and plans to ban social media for under-16s from 2027, so the settlement may reinforce demands for comparable platform features. Settlement funds will support initiatives such as mental-health services and education, while campaigners warn that usage limits do not address harmful content. The agreement also restricts Meta's use of young people's data and requires stronger age assurance, raising concerns that age verification could require collecting more personal information.