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How Meta's $18B settlement will change Facebook and Instagram - and where the money is going

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Why This Matters

Meta's $18 billion settlement marks a significant shift in how social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram will prioritize teen safety and mental health. The settlement enforces stricter usage limits and safety features, reflecting increased regulatory scrutiny and a push for more responsible platform design, ultimately benefiting consumers and the broader tech industry by setting new standards for online safety.

Key Takeaways

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ZDNET's key takeaways

Meta has settled a lawsuit surrounding teen social media use.

The settlement brings big changes and an $18 billion penalty.

That money will go to child online safety programs.

Meta has announced that it agreed to a settlement in a landmark child safety lawsuit, and sweeping changes are coming to Facebook and Instagram as a result -- plus $18 billion in funding for online safety initiatives, youth mental health, and other programs.

The lawsuit, which alleges the tech company purposefully designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to minors, misled the public about how safe the platforms were, and illegally harvested private data from teen users, was brought by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from nearly every US state.

This suit was filed in 2023.

Also: How to delete Facebook, Messenger, or Instagram - if you want Meta out of your life

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