tech
How the Meta settlement may change social media forever
Instagram and Facebook’s parent company agreed to sweeping alterations and a payment of up to $18bn to settle a landmark trial
TL;DR
- Meta agreed to substantial changes for teen users on Instagram and Facebook to settle a lawsuit by US states.
- New default features for teens include a two-hour daily usage limit, blocking night use, disabling notifications during school hours, and hiding 'likes'.
- The company will pay up to $18 billion over a decade to US states and territories involved in the suit.
- This settlement forces Meta to change its operations to protect children, a move previously unachieved by US Congress.
- The changes are intended to be industry-wide, with Meta encouraging competitors like TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar measures.