Meta pledges to overhaul kids’ safety protections, pay $17 billion to settle social media case

Meta has reached a landmark settlement with U.S. states totaling $17 billion, requiring significant changes to its platforms to protect children's safety and privacy. The agreement includes limiting daily app usage for under-18s, restricting nighttime activity, banning engagement metrics like ‘likes,’ and implementing enhanced reporting mechanisms. This settlement follows a series of lawsuits and reflects a growing concern about the impact of social media on young users, with Meta also urging competitors like TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar safeguards.