HARRISBURG, Pa. (EYT) — Pennsylvania has joined a multistate settlement with Meta that would require the company to make changes aimed at limiting children’s use of Facebook and Instagram and reducing their exposure to certain content, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced.
The settlement includes up to $17.1 billion in remediation payments nationwide, with the total dependent on other major social media companies agreeing to similar terms.
Pennsylvania is expected to receive $516 million over a period of years and could receive as much as $729 million.
The agreement was reached during a civil trial in California involving allegations that Meta failed to adequately protect younger users. The settlement remains subject to court approval.
“The days of Meta ignoring the damage its platforms cause kids are over,” Sunday said. “This is a landmark settlement that brings transformative changes to these hugely-popular social media spaces.”
Under the agreement, Meta would be required to establish a combined two-hour daily limit for children using Facebook and Instagram. Mandatory pauses would also occur after 15 minutes of continuous use and again after 60 and 90 minutes.
Those restrictions would remain in place for five years. If Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube agree to comparable terms, the daily limit would decrease to 60 minutes on each platform for 10 years.
The settlement would also block children’s access to Facebook and Instagram from midnight to 6 a.m. and eliminate push notifications on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the school year.
Meta would also be required to strengthen its age-verification measures and parental controls.
Additional provisions call for safeguards intended to limit children’s exposure to bullying and content related to eating disorders, suicide and self-harm. The agreement would also place limits on certain beauty filters and visible “like” counts.
An independent auditor and participating states would regularly assess the implementation and effectiveness of the changes.
The settlement follows an investigation launched in 2021 involving attorneys general from across the country. The states alleged Meta designed features on Instagram that encouraged compulsive use among children while failing to adequately warn parents about potential harms.
The agreement resolves cases filed by participating states and territories related to those allegations. It also resolves claims concerning Meta’s sharing of nonpublic Facebook user information with third parties, including Cambridge Analytica, before the 2016 election.
Pennsylvania is among more than 50 states, territories and jurisdictions participating in the settlement.
Sunday said his office will continue pursuing changes involving other social media and technology companies.
To view the full settlement, click here.
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