GA May Receive $135M In Historic Meta Settlement That Could Change Social Media For Kids

Georgia could receive up to $135 million from a $17.1 billion multi-state settlement with Meta Platforms Inc. — one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in history — over allegations that Facebook and Instagram harmed children and teens.

Attorney General Chris Carr on Thursday announced the settlement.

The settlement, which requires court approval, would mandate Meta to implement sweeping new safety measures for children and teens on Instagram and Facebook.

“For years, we pushed major social media platforms to implement critical safeguards that protect our kids online, and that’s exactly what this outcome helps to accomplish,” Carr said in a news release.

“This is a landmark agreement that sets the standard for future cases, and while Meta is the first to come to the table, they shouldn’t be the last. It shouldn’t take lawsuits, legislation or investigations to do the right thing. Keeping our children safe will always be our top priority.”

The settlement resolves claims that Meta deliberately designed its platforms to exploit young users' vulnerabilities, encourage compulsive use and maximize the amount of time children and teens spend on its platforms, according to a news release. Attorneys general also alleged that Meta knew its platforms could harm young users but misled parents, users and the public about those risks.

The lawsuit further alleged that Meta collected personal information from children younger than age 13 without parental consent, violating the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Georgia stands to receive around $100 million from the settlement; but, Carr's office noted the state could receive nearly $135 million.

Under the proposed settlement, Meta would implement a series of safety changes, including a combined two-hour daily limit on Instagram and Facebook for children. The platforms also would require “productive pauses” after 15 minutes of continuous use and again after 60 and 90 minutes to interrupt scrolling, according to the news release.

The two-hour limit would remain in place for five years. If Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube adopt comparable requirements, the daily limit for each platform would drop to one hour and remain in effect for 10 years.

Other proposed changes include nighttime restrictions preventing children from accessing content feeds and disabling notifications between midnight and 6 a.m. Meta also would eliminate push notifications on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the school year.

The settlement also calls for stronger age-verification measures and more age-appropriate content controls. Those controls would include additional protections involving bullying, eating disorders, suicide and self-harm.

Meta would also be required to strengthen parental controls and limit social-comparison features, including making visible “like” counts unavailable to teens. Teens also would lose access to beauty filters that mimic cosmetic surgery or alter skin tone, according to the news release.

An independent auditor would evaluate Meta's implementation of the settlement's requirements for five years.

According to Carr's office, almost every attorney general nationwide started investigating the social media industry in 2021.

In October 2023, a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general sued Meta following a multiyear nationwide investigation into the company's practices.

The attorneys general alleged that Meta intentionally designed Facebook and Instagram to foster compulsive use among young people and maximize engagement. They also alleged the company knew about the potential harm to young users while misleading the public about the dangers.

Additionally, they say Meta shared the nonpublic information of Facebook users with third parties, such as Cambridge Analytica, Carr's office said. This came before the 2016 election.

The Meta settlement includes attorneys general from nearly every state, along with U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. The participating jurisdictions include Georgia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan, as well as California, New York, Texas and dozens of other states and territories.

If approved by the court, the settlement would represent one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in U.S. history and impose some of the most extensive restrictions yet on how a major social media company designs and operates its platforms for young users.