Dormant Friday 7 August 2026 — Thursday 27 August 2026 · 7 days
Meta agrees $18bn settlement over claims its apps harm children
Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle a landmark US lawsuit brought by 29 states over claims its platforms were designed to be addictive to children.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The social media giant Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle a landmark lawsuit brought by 29 US states that accused the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children.
The settlement, announced in California, brings to an end a trial that had been underway for just over a week. Meta has not admitted any wrongdoing but has agreed to introduce a series of changes to its platforms for teenage users in the US, including two-hour daily time limits, a night-time block between midnight and 6am, and a ban on displaying numbers of likes or reactions.
The case was the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history, with states seeking penalties that could have reached $1.4 trillion. The trial had already heard damaging testimony from whistleblowers, including former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar, who claimed the company took a "don't ask, don't tell" policy towards children under 13 on Instagram.
The settlement includes a payment of between $13 billion and $18 billion over 10 years, with 30% of the money contingent on rivals TikTok and YouTube implementing similar safety measures. Meta has called on its competitors to adopt the same framework.
The case follows a series of legal defeats for Meta, including a New Mexico ruling that ordered the company to pay nearly $1 billion in fines after a judge described the company as a "public nuisance" and compared its platforms to toxic pollution.
Campaigners have welcomed the settlement but say it does not go far enough, and the changes will initially only apply to users in the United States. The settlement also includes enhanced age verification measures and options to switch off autoplay and algorithmic recommendations.
Meta has said the framework will only work if all its peers join, and has called on TikTok and YouTube to implement the same changes. The company has also said the settlement builds on its long-standing efforts to empower parents and support teens.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  | BBC NEWS Signed |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widely reported · 7 or more of 9 channels | |||||||||
| Meta paid $17 billion in the settlement. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Reported by BBC Two | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News | |
| The settlement includes changes such as disabling teen users from seeing likes or reactions and measures to prevent children from accessing platforms. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by GB News | |||||||
| Reported by a few · 2–6 channels | |||||||||
| A lawsuit against Meta was brought by 29 US state attorneys general from both political parties. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | |||||
| A New Mexico judge fined Meta over half a billion dollars for failing to warn about risks to children. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | |||||
| Meta agreed to pay $16.68 billion to multiple US states to settle a court case related to child safety. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by Sky News | ||||
| A New Mexico judge ruled that Meta's conduct was a public nuisance contributing to a youth mental health crisis. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | ||||
| Meta denied the allegations and said it stands by its record of creating strong protections for teens. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News | ||
| Meta has been ordered to pay nearly a billion dollars in previous cases. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Meta will appeal the ruling. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | |||
| Potential damages in the Meta lawsuit could reach hundreds of billions of dollars. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | ||||
| The settlement includes an incentive for state attorneys general to secure similar commitments from competitors like TikTok, which a legal expert said may serve as a template for pursuing other platforms. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | BBC NEWS SignedReported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | ||
| The US Justice Department sued TikTok and ByteDance in 2024. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | ||||
| TikTok agreed to pay $400 million to settle a US government case. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |||
| Meta faced a potential fine of up to $1 trillion if found guilty of designing addictive products and illegally obtaining children's data. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by Sky News | |
| The judge used pollution metaphors in the case. | Reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The lawsuit alleges harmful design features such as constant notification alerts, filters and infinite scrolling. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The measures apply initially to US users, with the possibility of extending worldwide. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | ||
| The settlement is the largest ever of its kind. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | ||
| The trial is expected to last about six weeks. | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |||
| A jury awarded a California woman $6 million over claims that Instagram and YouTube harmed her mental health. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Bejar believed Mark Zuckerberg was aware of the harms but misled the public about platform safety. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg may testify in the trial. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta has previously lost similar court cases. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | ||
| Meta is facing its third trial this year. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta owes approximately £700 million in total. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta reportedly operated a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy that ignored underage users to protect user numbers. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | ||
| States will receive about 70% of the settlement over the next decade, with the remainder dependent on other companies. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The court ordered Meta to change its products for young people. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The fine is in addition to a previous $375 million judgment against Meta. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | ||
| The jury's verdict will be advisory; the final outcome will be determined by a judge. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The lawsuit was brought by 29 US states and the settlement was reached with 52 attorneys general. | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The trial is the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Only on one channel | |||||||||
| 7 million pairs of Meta glasses were sold last year. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | |
| Baroness Kidron said the $400 million settlement is not a deterrent and that TikTok reportedly sets aside a billion pounds a year for legal actions. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Bejar said the company's mantra was 'move fast and break things' and that safety for children was never considered when products like Instagram Reels were rolled out. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| British cinemas are considering banning people from wearing Meta glasses to watch films. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | |
| Internal documents show Meta employees referred to Instagram as a drug. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta agreed to pay an $18 billion settlement. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta denied wrongdoing and announced restrictions, including default two-hour time limits. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | BBC NEWS SignedReported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Meta described under-13s as a big build opportunity in internal strategy documents. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, were reported to have known Instagram could harm children and prioritized profits over safety. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta had taken down millions of harmful content items, but this was only a tiny fraction of reported content. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta reported quarterly revenues of £45 billion, about £418 million per day. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Meta settled the lawsuit without admitting liability or wrongdoing. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | |
| Meta spent $10 billion on legal costs in the current quarter. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Meta's company culture required all product decisions to go through Mark Zuckerberg. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Meta's own staff recommended the changes, but they were turned down for profit reasons. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Mosseri acknowledged that the company reduced the number of employees with access to sensitive internal research. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The change followed the release of the Facebook files by whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The Justice Department acknowledged that TikTok changed its privacy controls since the lawsuit was filed. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The Justice Department called the settlement a major victory. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The ruling is part of a wave of similar cases across the US. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC NEWS Signed | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by BBC Two | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Provided the most comprehensive coverage, tracking the story from the New Mexico fine through the California trial to the settlement. Featured expert analysis from technology journalists, former Meta insiders, and legal experts, with a focus on the legal and regulatory implications.
Key Quotes:
- “Meta is fined more than half a billion dollars. A judge says the tech giant fails to warn the public about the risks it poses to children.”
- “The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has taken to the stand in a landmark social media trial defending his company's privacy policies and digital well-being settings for children.”
- “Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to a multi-billion dollar settlement over claims that were brought by several US states that its platforms harm children.”
Focused on the practical implications for families and the financial impact on Meta. Used studio analysis to break down the numbers and what the changes would mean for teenagers, with a clear explanatory approach.
Key Quotes:
- “Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram has been fined another £421 million for what a US judge said was its failure to warn the public about the dangers its platforms pose to children.”
- “the tech giant has agreed to pay 17 billion dollars to settle claims over how its platforms facebook and instagram impact young people”
Regional BBC coverage that focused on the legal details and the potential global impact. Covered the New Mexico fine, the trial, and the settlement with a straightforward news approach.
Key Quotes:
- “a judge in the united states has fined the social media giant meta more than 420 million pounds are failing to warn the public about the dangers that its platforms pose to children”
- “The owner of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, is to pay about $17 billion to settle a lawsuit brought by a number of US states”
Strong focus on the human impact, with interviews with bereaved parents and campaigners. Used emotional framing to highlight the stakes of the case, while also covering the legal and financial details.
Key Quotes:
- “Meta has agreed to pay £12.5 billion to end claims brought by 29 US states who claimed that Meta had knowingly made its social media apps, Instagram and Facebook, addictive to children.”
- “No amount of money is ever going to bring my beautiful daughter back.”
Analytical approach, covering the legal strategy and the broader implications for the tech industry. Featured interviews with lawyers and campaigners, and highlighted the internal documents that emerged during the case.
Key Quotes:
- “The social media giant Meta has been fined an additional $567 million by a court in New Mexico.”
- “META has agreed to pay up to $17 billion and add child safety measures to settle claims brought by dozens of US states that its platforms harmed children.”
Focused on the scale of the lawsuit and the potential damages, with expert legal analysis. Covered the trial and the settlement with an emphasis on the financial stakes for Meta.
Key Quotes:
- “Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook has agreed to pay almost $17 billion to multiple US states to settle a court case related to child safety.”
- “Meta have settled out of court, albeit with a huge payment, $16.68 billion.”
Newsnight focused on the human impact of the settlement, interviewing a mother who lost her daughter and a lawyer representing families. Took a reflective, in-depth approach to the story.
Key Quotes:
- “the social media giant Meta which owns Facebook and Instagram has agreed to pay an $18 billion settlement with US states which claim the websites harmed children.”
Opinion-led coverage focusing on the broader debate about social media regulation and the addictive design of platforms. Took a more conversational, panel-discussion approach.
Key Quotes:
- “tech giant pays 17 billion quid over child harm”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.