What smart people are saying about Meta's settlement

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to the Los Angeles Superior Court at United States Court House on February 18, 2026. Meta agreed to put greater restrictions on teen users on Wednesday. Jill Connelly/Getty Images

Meta settled a teen social media addiction lawsuit with states for about $18 billion.

Some experts called the deal shrewd, saying Meta avoided potentially massive damages.

Critics say the deal is too weak and its teen protections could prove difficult to enforce.

Attorneys and analysts are divided on whether Meta made the right move.

The social media giant on Wednesday settled with a group of states that sued the company in 2023 and alleged that it had designed its social media platforms to be addictive to teenagers.

Included in the settlement are a slew of restrictions for teen users of Instagram and Facebook. If the federal judge overseeing the case approves the settlement, teen users will be limited to two hours of scrolling per day, will be unable to scroll at night, and won't get notifications during the school day.

Also in the settlement is around $18 billion for 47 states, the District of Columbia, and several American territories, to be paid out by Meta in installments over the next decade. Around $5 billion of that sum is contingent upon YouTube and TikTok also coughing up billions and instituting similar controls for teen users.

Meta and the attorneys general struck the deal less than two weeks after the trial began.

Here's what smart people are saying about Meta's landmark social media settlement.

Ari Cohn, First Amendment lawyer

Cohn, a First Amendment lawyer in Chicago, called the settlement a "shrewd business move, but awful for free speech."

Cohn said that by calling on YouTube and TikTok to institute similar restrictions, Meta is "attempting regulatory capture" by setting a standard it hopes rival social media giants will follow.

Uttara Ananthakrishnan, associate professor at the University of Washington

Uttara Ananthakrishnan, an associate professor of information systems at the University of Washington, told Business Insider that she wouldn't be surprised if YouTube and TikTok announce similar restrictions in the coming days.

Ananthakrishnan, who has authored several research papers about the addictive qualities of TikTok, said that while she welcomed the restrictions announced Wednesday, she doubts they'll live up to expectations.

"Meta doesn't have a great reputation of enforcing its own policies," she said.

Ananthakrishnan pointed to a teen social media ban in Australia , which has largely failed to keep young users off the platforms, as a reason why it's difficult for companies to verify checks.

"Enforcement is going to be really difficult," she said. "A motivated, 16-year-old and 18-year-old will just adopt a VPN, log in from their parents' accounts or whatever."

Jonathan Turley, professor at George Washington University Law School

Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, said Meta's monetary payout was a big lowball.

"The $16 billion is a bit like monopoly money," Turley wrote on X. "Meta succeeded in tying off the potential for massive damages while making changes that was already moving to incorporate in its platform."

Turley added that although the settlement will lead to new protections for children on social media, they will ultimately not last.

"The technology is too popular and too accessible to create a true firewall," Turley wrote. "The burden will remain with parents."

Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next

Jason Kint, who leads Digital Content Next, a trade organization that represents digital media companies, said the case impacts an entire generation of children.

"Wow. $16 BILLION means Meta/Facebook/Instagram is now approaching $25 BILLION they've on settlements related to consumer protection abuses," he wrote on X on Wednesday.

Gary Marcus, tech researcher and writer

Marcus, a tech researcher, wrote on X that he hopes other social media platforms will follow suit with guardrails.

"I hope that X, TikTok, and YouTube will match these social media restrictions for teens, including 'Productive Pauses,' 'Nighttime blocks,' limited school-time access for children, tighter content controls, stronger and more straightforward parental controls, and limits on things like beauty filters and visible likes," he wrote on Wednesday.

He added, "Adults (me included!) would be wise to opt-in for a lot of the same."

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