USA: Meta’s $18 billion settlement should be a turning point that leads to sweeping social media reforms to protect children online

27 August 2026

Responding to reports that Meta has reached a settlement of approximately $18 billion, with 47 US states and committed to specific safety-oriented design changes on its social media apps over claims that its platforms caused harms to children, Amnesty International USA's Deputy Director of Research, Justin Mazzola, said:

"The settlement is a turning point not just for Meta, but all social media. Social media platforms must now change how they operate and fix their harmful features to protect children and young people.

"For years, Amnesty International, civil society and harmed individuals have warned that major social media platforms have been designed to maximize engagement and profit, while failing to adequately protect children's rights.

"Amnesty has been calling for platform design change for many years. Child safety must be built into platforms from the start, not added as an afterthought once harms are identified."

"Amnesty has been calling for platform design change for many years. Child safety must be built into platforms from the start, not added as an afterthought once harms are identified. This settlement agreement sends a clear message that social media companies cannot ignore children's wellbeing and rights and that design changes are the necessary solution. Now, they must continue on this path, taking further steps to fully redesign their apps for child-safety and to respect the rights of all users."

Background

Meta reached an approximately $18 billion settlement with 47 states committing to make changes to its products, bringing to an end a landmark case in which the states alleged that the company's addictive platforms were harming children.

The states initially filed a lawsuit in 2023 accusing Meta of violating privacy laws and intentionally designing products addictive to children.

In addition to the financial penalty, Meta agreed to make changes to Facebook and Instagram, including implementing a default two-hour time limit on its apps for users under 18, banning features that cause mental health issues, banning the display of numbers of likes or reactions to users under 18 and a commitment to enhance parent supervision among other changes.

Meta denied all the allegations against it and have issued a statement announcing the settlement.

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