In a report published August 26, Utah officials announced a $12.2 billion settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. that will mandate sweeping changes to how Instagram and Facebook are built for children and teens once the agreement is issued by the court.
The settlement, which is subject to court approval, resolves claims brought by Utah, 46 other states, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The claims alleged that Meta designed Instagram with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to mental-health harms, and misled the public about platform safety.
Under the agreement, Utah is expected to receive $212 million over the next 10 years. The state could receive up to $301 million if other industry leaders like Snap, TikTok, and YouTube agree to substantially similar injunctive terms as Meta.
Governor Spencer Cox stated that the settlement proves the urgency of his previous warnings regarding the need for social media companies to protect children. Attorney General Derek Brown said the settlement secures consequential and enforceable changes that require Meta to prioritize child safety over its business model.
The settlement requires Meta to implement several safety features, including:
Robust age assurance measures to verify the age of young users.
A combined two-hour daily time limit across Instagram and Facebook with mandatory breaks.
Nighttime blocks restricting access from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
No push notifications to children on school-year weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and late at night.
An option for a non-personalized algorithmic feed for users under 18.
Age-appropriate content controls to safeguard against bullying and content promoting self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders.
Stronger parental controls.
Limits on social-comparison features, such as beauty filters and visible like counts.
The settlement also resolves claims regarding Meta sharing nonpublic Facebook user information with third parties, such as Cambridge Analytica, prior to the 2016 election.
While these represent comprehensive youth-safety changes, Utah officials advise parents to delay introducing social media to children as long as possible and to maintain open dialogue regarding the risks of excessive use. Implementation and efficacy of the new features will be assessed by an independent auditor and the settling states.
