Ohio Attorney General announces historic $17.1 billion Meta settlement aimed at protecting children
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson announced Wednesday a proposed $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta that would require sweeping new safeguards for children and teenagers using Instagram and Facebook.
Wilson described the agreement as the largest Big Tech settlement in history. Ohio is expected to receive more than $319 million over the next decade if the settlement receives court approval.
“With this historic settlement, Meta agrees to establish meaningful protections for young users,” Wilson said. “Digital platforms that cater to children have a duty to shield impressionable minds from the risks of unchecked exposure to social media.”
The agreement resolves claims that Meta designed Instagram and Facebook with features intended to keep young users engaged and addicted while knowingly exposing children and teenagers to serious mental-health risks.
The states also accused Meta of misleading the public about the safety of its platforms and violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting information from children younger than 13.
Under the proposed settlement, Meta would be required to introduce several new protections on Instagram and Facebook, including:
A combined two-hour daily limit for children using the platforms.
Mandatory “Productive Pauses” after 15 minutes of continuous use and again after 60 and 90 minutes.
Nighttime access restrictions from midnight to 6 a.m.
No push notifications on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the school year.
Stronger age-verification measures.
More restrictive, age-appropriate content controls.
Additional protections against bullying and content promoting eating disorders, suicide or self-harm.
Stronger and more accessible parental controls.
Disabled beauty filters, visible “like” counts and other social-comparison features associated with poor mental-health outcomes.
An independent auditor and the participating states would regularly evaluate whether the protections have been properly implemented and are working as intended.
Wilson said the concerns surrounding children’s use of social media extend beyond a single company. He characterized the required changes to Instagram and Facebook as more comprehensive than any protections previously ordered by a court or voluntarily accepted by a social-media company.
Nearly all state attorneys general have signed the agreement. The settlement must now receive court approval before taking effect.
