Meta settles with 29 US states up to $17.1 billion
Meta (the company behind Instagram and Facebook) just agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to settle a massive lawsuit from 29 US states.
The case accused Meta of making its platforms addictive for teens, leading to anxiety and depression, and even collecting data from children under 13 without parental permission.
Settlement requires teen safety features
As part of the deal, Meta has to roll out new safety features: think a default two-hour daily limit for teens, notifications muted at night and during school hours, and options to hide likes or turn off algorithm-based feeds.
This all comes after leaked studies showed Instagram use was linked to mental health struggles for some teens.
Even though Meta still denies any wrongdoing, this settlement is a big move toward making social media safer for younger users.