Meta agrees on $17B settlement in teen social media addiction case

Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a trial over teen addiction to social media and settle lawsuits brought by US states, The Washington Times reports.

California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are among the 29 states that sued the technology giant in 2023. The settlement brings an end to a trial in which CEO Mark Zuckerberg was expected to testify before a jury in federal court in California.

Attorney General Jay Jones said in a statement that the settlement agreement is worth $353 million in Virginia alone, making it one of the largest settlements in the history of consumer protection among the states.

“For years, Meta intentionally deceived the public about the addictive and harmful design features that have wreaked havoc on youth mental health,” Jones said.

“I am elated to announce a settlement agreement that will put an end to these dangerous practices and deliver meaningful relief that will protect children from online harm.”

The $17 billion settlement represents a small fraction of the company’s $201 billion in revenue in 2025.

The lawsuit accused Meta of harming young people’s mental health by deliberately designing features that made its platforms addictive for children while concealing their effects from the public. It also alleged that Meta violated federal law by repeatedly collecting data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent.