To settle multi-state lawsuits regarding youth mental health, Meta has agreed to a landmark settlement of up to $18 billion with 48 US states. Under the agreement, users under the age of 18 will face mandatory two-hour daily screen time limits—reversible only with parental consent—alongside a complete platform lockout between midnight and 6:00 AM. Additional measures include hiding "like" counts for minors and implementing third-party independent audits for age verification systems.

Financially, Meta is committed to paying a guaranteed $12.2 to $12.7 billion over a ten-year period, with an additional $5 billion contingent on whether competing platforms like TikTok and YouTube sign similar state regulatory agreements. While industry experts view the settlement as a major precedent, critics point out that Meta retains control over content moderation criteria, leaving algorithmic exposure risks partially unaddressed for young users.