Meta settlement brings new protections for teens on Facebook and Instagram
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina is set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars as part of a landmark settlement with Meta that will impose new restrictions on how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced Wednesday that North Carolina joined a national agreement with the social media company, which includes changes designed to limit youth exposure to features regulators say contribute to excessive social media use.
"Today we are announcing the largest big tech settlement in American history," Jackson said.
The settlement stems from allegations that Meta designed its platforms and algorithms in ways that were intended to keep young users engaged for extended periods of time.
"The internal documents that the investigation uncovered made very clear that Meta was specifically engineering their products to be as addictive as possible to young people," Jackson said.
As part of this deal, Meta will eliminate or change designs and algorithmic features. That includes:
- A default daily time limit of two hours that can only be lifted by a parent
- A ban on displaying numbers of likes or reactions
- A ban on cosmetic procedure image filters
- Restricted access to the apps between midnight and 6 a.m.
Jackson said the changes are intended to help parents manage screen time and reduce some of the features critics say encourage prolonged use.
"My wife and I have three kids," Jackson said. "We know how hard it is to argue with them about screen time. Part of the reason it's so hard is because parents are up against technology that has been engineered specifically to capture and hold their child's attention."
"It's attention and not being able to be fully present or listening if your phone's always in your pocket and you're always checking, and always receiving notifications, that's just an automatic 'I'm not going to listen to what you're saying right now, and other things are grabbing my attention,'" said Kate Stigberg, a parent who serves as Chief of Staff for the non-profit Healthier United.
North Carolina is expected to receive at least $451 million through the settlement, though the total can ultimately increase up to $645 million.
"It is written to accommodate them so that if (other social media companies) do join, substantively similar agreement and we get what's called industry-wide adoption that unlocks the next tranche of recovery from Meta. That's why there's a difference between $451 (million) and $645 (million). What bumps it up to $645 (million) is establishing industry-wide adoption within the next five years," said Jackson.
"I and a lot of other moms are glad to see tech companies like Meta being held accountable," said Beth Messersmith, a mother of two and senior director for the North Carolina chapter of MomsRising.
Messersmith compared the agreement to past public-health efforts that changed behavior over time.
"In my generation, we talked about the tobacco settlement, right, and the influence that had on our health and our well-being, and it changed things," she said. "I think that we have an opportunity to engage now and change the trajectory for our young people. And I really hope that we do. We shouldn't squander this."
"Today's settlement just confirmed what parents, health professionals and Meta already knew that the social media platforms are addictive by design and pose significant risks to children," Stigberg said. "And I think it's a huge step forward in protecting our youth, but there's still more to do."
The agreement could also have broader implications for the social media industry. Jackson said other companies could face legal action if they do not adopt similar protections.
"We're happy to talk to TikTok and Snap and Google about this," Jackson said. "We're also happy to take them to court, like we did with Meta and like we're doing right now with TikTok. This is an easy way or a hard way situation."
In a statement, Meta said, "Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta. We want to get this right for parents and teens, and that's why we partnered with state attorneys general to set a new industry standard."
The settlement still requires judicial approval. Jackson said he does not expect significant delays, and the changes are anticipated to be implemented over a two- to six-month period depending on the technical work required.
