Social media giant Meta has agreed to implement significant changes to its Instagram and Facebook apps, introducing default safety features for teenage users. This agreement settles a landmark lawsuit and curtails a major trial in California.
The changes will include setting daily usage limits and blocking night-time use for teens across the US. Previously, child safety features were opt-in, but now many will be the default setting for new teen accounts.
California and 28 other US states had sued Meta, alleging the company designed addictive products that harmed young people's mental health. As part of the settlement, Meta will pay up to $18bn, though it denies any wrongdoing.
Meta's chief legal officer, CJ Mahoney, has called on other social media companies to adopt this new framework, stating the need for an industry-wide solution as teens use many different apps.