GoKawiilMeta to pay up to $18B, add teen time limits under US settlement
Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states and roll out new safety features for teen users of Facebook and Instagram, resolving litigation over the platforms' impact on youth mental health. Coming changes include a two-hour daily usage cap for under-18s and a block on access between midnight and 6 a.m., with some restrictions removable only by a parent or guardian. The settlement applies only within the United States.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Researchers note that similar interventions elsewhere have struggled to work in practice — a survey after Australia's under-16 social-media ban found most affected kids still had active accounts months later. That gap between policy and enforcement raises doubts about whether Meta's new limits will meaningfully change teen behavior rather than just create an appearance of compliance.
- Meta will pay up to $18 billion and add teen usage restrictions under a US legal settlement.
- New rules include a two-hour daily cap and overnight access blocks for under-18 users.
- Experts cite Australia's under-16 ban as evidence such restrictions are hard to enforce effectively.
Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt — If this settlement has you thinking about screen time and teen mental health, Haidt's bestseller lays out the debate over smartphones, social media and childhood in detail. It's the book fueling much of the policy discussion behind time limits and curfews like Meta's, and a useful read for parents deciding their own household rules.
See Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: nature.com — Glickman, 2026-08-28
Published there as: “Will Meta’s deal make social media safe for kids? Researchers are dubious”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.