Meta's $18bn settlement may hasten reckoning for social media on child safety
Meta has agreed to an $18 billion settlement to resolve lawsuits alleging that its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, harmed children. The case centered on data privacy violations and broader concerns regarding the company's impact on youth safety.
Why it matters
This massive settlement marks a potential turning point for the social media industry, signaling increased regulatory scrutiny and legal accountability for child safety practices.
Figure caption, 'Finally, something was done' - Parent reacts to social media trial settlement
Technology editor Published 9 hours ago Meta's decision to agree to an $18bn (£13.3bn) settlement on Wednesday, to resolve claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children, came as a surprise.
I was expecting weeks of courtroom drama as 29 states – almost two-thirds of America - took on one US tech giant.
Technically, the trial was about children's online privacy. It was based on a US law called the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which is nearly 30 years old and predates all of today's biggest social platforms.
It centred around Meta's historic gathering and use of data belonging to children under the age of 13 over a period of several years.
In reality, it was a co-ordinated attack on the firm's online safety credentials.
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