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Meta agrees to settle claims with 29 states over addictive platforms

Washington Examiner · back to the audit

Meta has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion and make sweeping changes to Facebook and Instagram to settle allegations that it designed its platforms to addict children while misleading the public about their risks.

The proposed agreement resolves claims by 51 states and territories, including a federal case involving 29 states that was being tried in Oakland. The trial was in its second week when the settlement was disclosed on Wednesday. Meta will pay at least $12.1 billion over 10 years, and another $5 billion would be added if other major social media companies agree to adopt comparable youth protections, bringing the settlement's total possible value to $17.1 billion.

Attorneys general who sued the Big Tech company celebrated the agreement Wednesday morning, including Democratic District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who called it a "monumental public health victory."