Meta Platforms, Inc. has entered into a landmark multistate settlement to resolve claims that Instagram and Facebook were designed with addictive features that knowingly exposed young users to serious mental health harms. The agreement, announced Aug. 26, 2026, includes sweeping safety reforms and provides billions of dollars to states to address youth harms.
Scope of the Settlement
The settlement, which is subject to approval by United States District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Northern District of California, involves 51 attorneys general, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The agreement also resolves investigations into Meta's sharing of nonpublic Facebook user information with third parties, such as Cambridge Analytica, prior to the 2016 election.
Financial and Industry Impact
Under the terms of the agreement, Meta will pay states $12.19 billion over 10 years. This total could increase to $17.1 billion if TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat agree to comparable safety terms and monetary relief. Utah is expected to receive $212 million over the next decade, a figure that could rise to $301 million if other industry leaders reach similar settlements.
Impact on Connecticut
Connecticut is set to receive up to $265.4 million, with at least half of those funds dedicated to remediating youth harms through mental health support, crisis intervention, after-school programming, and the implementation of phone-free school zones. Attorney General William Tong stated the settlement is a monumental victory that will fundamentally transform how the social media industry designs products for children and teenagers.
New Safety Mandates
The settlement mandates several new safety features for Instagram and Facebook. These include a combined two-hour daily time limit for children, featuring mandatory pauses after 15, 60, and 90 minutes of continuous use for the first five years. If other platforms adopt similar terms, the daily limit will drop to 60 minutes for 10 years. Additionally, Meta must implement nighttime blocks from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. and eliminate push notifications for children on weekdays during the school year from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Mental Health Protections
Further reforms include robust age assurance measures, stronger content controls against bullying and content promoting self-harm or eating disorders, and enhanced parental controls that allow users to turn off algorithmic feeds and auto-play functions. The settlement also targets social comparison features, such as beauty filters and visible "like" counts, which have been linked to poor mental health outcomes in youth. The implementation and efficacy of these features will be reviewed by an independent auditor and the settling states.
Utah State Response
Utah officials emphasized the necessity of the action, noting that the Division of Consumer Protection filed a complaint against Meta on Oct. 24, 2023. Governor Spencer Cox stated that the settlement proves the urgency of protecting children and makes clear that Meta could have implemented these changes sooner. Utah state leaders advised parents to delay introducing social media to children as long as possible and to maintain open dialogue regarding the risks of excessive use.
Accountability and Future Oversight
Attorney General Derek Brown noted that the settlement forces Meta to prioritize child safety over its business model. The agreement marks the most far-reaching action taken by any government to date to address the safety of young people on social media platforms.
