6 days ago
Meta Settlement Sets Teen Social Media Limits and Overnight Shutdown
Meta plans to limit how much teenagers use Facebook and Instagram each day.
The default limit would be two hours.
A parent could give permission to turn off the limit.
Teenagers would also be blocked from using the apps between midnight and 6 a.m.
Parents could lift that overnight block too.
Notifications would normally stop overnight and during school hours.
If other large social media companies agree to similar rules, the limits could become stricter.
The changes are part of a proposed settlement that still needs court approval.
Meta will set a default two-hour daily limit on Facebook and Instagram for users under 18.
Parents may override the daily limit and the midnight-to-6 a.m. overnight block.
The limit could fall to one hour, and the overnight block could expand, if other major platforms adopt similar rules.
Notifications for under-18 users will be turned off by default overnight and during the school day.
The proposed settlement still requires court approval and could include up to $17 billion for states over ten years.
- Who
- Meta and a bipartisan coalition of 51 U.S. state attorneys general are involved; the rules affect users under 18.
- What
- A proposed settlement would impose daily usage limits, overnight blocks, notification restrictions, stronger age verification, parental controls, and independent compliance audits.
- Where
- The case is in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
- When
- The changes are reportedly expected to roll out within months; the overnight block would run from midnight to 6 a.m. by default.
- Why
- The attorneys general accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for children and teenagers and of misleading the public about related risks.
State Attorneys General and Child-Safety Advocates
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Need for restrictions
State Attorneys General and Child-Safety Advocates
The attorneys general alleged that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and teenagers and concealed risks from the public.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Meta agreed to usage limits, parental controls, and other safeguards but did not admit wrongdoing.
Effectiveness across platforms
State Attorneys General and Child-Safety Advocates
The settlement establishes restrictions on Meta’s services and could become stricter if other major platforms adopt similar standards.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Meta’s chief legal officer said the framework would have limited impact unless companies such as TikTok and YouTube make comparable commitments.
Parental involvement
State Attorneys General and Child-Safety Advocates
The agreement would give parents control over whether teenagers can override daily and overnight restrictions.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Meta described the framework as a way to help parents manage their children’s use of its platforms.
Key facts
- Daily limit
- Two hours by default for Facebook and Instagram users under 18.
- Overnight block
- Midnight to 6 a.m. by default, with a possible expansion to 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Parental control
- Only a parent could override the daily limit or overnight restriction.
- Other platforms
- The daily limit could drop to one hour if YouTube, TikTok, and Snap adopt comparable measures.
- Notifications
- Notifications would be disabled by default overnight and during the school day for under-18 users.
- Settlement value
- Up to $17 billion could be paid to the states over ten years.
- Approval status
- The proposed settlement still requires court approval.
Sources
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