Meta has reached an agreement to settle a significant case brought by US states that accused the tech company of addicting and harming children with its products. A court filing released on Wednesday confirmed the agreement, which will require Meta to pay up to $17bn.
As part of the settlement, Meta has agreed to establish safeguards for teenage users across the US. These measures include daily usage limits and nighttime blocks. California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, stated that these changes would also include stopping notifications during school and banning plastic surgery filters.
The jury trial, held in federal court in Oakland, California, began with opening statements last week. California and 28 other US states had sued Meta, alleging the company designed addictive products that harmed children and collected data on children under 13 without parental permission. Meta denies wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
Meta has consistently denied all allegations throughout the proceedings. The company faces thousands of similar lawsuits in the US from families, school districts, and other attorneys general.