RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 21 sourcesOAKLAND, Calif. \u2014 Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states, state attorneys general announced Wednesday.California, Colorado, Kentucky and Utah were among 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023, but the deal cuts short the trial, which was expected to see CEO Mark Zuckerberg take the stand before a jury in federal court in California."Utah is expected to receive $212 million over the next 10 years," the Governor's Office said in a press release early Wednesday, adding that the state could receive "up to $301 million if industry leaders similarly settle.""For the first time, Meta must put kids' safety ahead of its business model. After negotiations with Meta, we secured a settlement that delivers consequential and enforceable changes," said Attorney General Derek Brown. "This gives Utah families a leg up in protecting their kids from harmful content and compulsive habits with Instagram and Facebook. We will continue to use all legal tools available to us to protect kids online."Meta did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The $17 billion settlement is a fraction of the company's 2025 revenue of $201 billion."For years, Meta intentionally deceived the public about the addictive and harmful design features that have wreaked havoc on youth mental health," Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said. The settlement "will put an end to these dangerous practices and deliver meaningful relief that will protect children from online harm."The lawsuit accused Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hiding them from the public. It also argued that Meta violated federal laws by routinely collecting data on children under 13 without their parents' consent.The trial kicked off last week in Oakland, California, with U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers overseeing the proceedings. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, began his testimony late Tuesday and defended Meta's record and progress on child safety and privacy.The cases in other states had been expected to go to trial later. In addition, nine attorneys general filed lawsuits in their respective states. Under the proposed settlement, Meta agreed to adopt a series of safety features, including
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