The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Parents
The ongoing debate over digital safety is hitting a new high in 2026, with several court cases holding platforms accountable for endangering young people. The latest came on August 26, 2026. In a landmark legal settlement, Meta not only agreed to pay $18 billion in damages, but also to add even stronger child-safety protections on both Facebook and Instagram.
The settlement covers 48 states and Washington, DC and essentially ends dozens of lawsuits the states brought against Meta.
The case brought by the states accused the tech giant of targeting features that were designed to make their platforms more addictive to children. The case argued that some of those features were even hidden from the public. It also accused Meta of collecting data on kids under the age of 13 without their parents’ permission.
According to the Associated Press, some of the new safety features outlined under the proposed settlement include:
- A default 2-hour limit on daily use for teens.
- No use during the overnight hours.
- No push notifications during weekday school hours.
- Stronger measures to confirm the age of users.
- Disabling “like” counts.
- “Age-appropriate” content controls aimed at preventing bullying and harmful material from being circulated.
- Stronger parental controls that are more user-friendly.
The $17 billion Meta is paying out (over time) is just a small part of the company’s revenue. Last year it brought in $201 billion, according to the AP. But the money from the settlement will go to the states to use for programs that will benefit kids’ mental health. That could include things like digital literacy counseling and after-school and summer activities.
The settlement still has to be approved by a judge.