Meta has agreed to pay up to $17bn and establish safeguards for teenagers in a settlement reached in a US federal courtroom over allegations that its platforms addicted and harmed young users.
The agreement was announced on 26 August in Oakland, California, where dozens of US states had accused the tech giant of using dangerous products to addict children. The settlement follows a trial centred on teen addiction to Meta's platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.
Mother's response
Victoria Hicks, whose 16-year-old daughter Alexandra Hicks died by suicide, reacted to the settlement outside court. She told reporters she feels 'justice is possible' after Meta settled in its US trial over teen addiction.
The safeguards agreed by Meta are intended to provide additional protections for teenagers using its services, though the specific measures were not detailed in the announcement.
Scope of the settlement
The settlement resolves claims brought by numerous US states, which had accused Meta of knowingly designing features that encouraged compulsive use among minors. The company has not admitted wrongdoing as part of the agreement.
The case highlighted growing scrutiny of social media platforms and their impact on young people's mental health, a topic that has drawn attention from regulators and families across the United States.
