What the Meta settlement means for the UK, and other questions after the deal
Meta has reached an $18 billion settlement with US states to implement new safety measures for children on Facebook and Instagram, including time limits and parental controls. While these rules currently apply only to the US, they may set a global precedent for social media regulation.
Why it matters
This settlement represents a major shift in how tech giants are held accountable for child safety, potentially influencing future legislation worldwide.
Image source, Getty Images By Imran Rahman-Jones Technology reporter Published 2 hours ago Meta's $18bn (£13.3bn) settlement with nearly every US state is about more than money.
As part of the deal, Facebook and Instagram have agreed to bring in several significant measures to protect children online - though Meta has not admitted to any wrongdoing.
These include time limits, warnings over screen time and more parental controls over their children's accounts.
At the moment, they will just apply to children in the US - but they could have an impact on the rest of the world.
And if they ultimately set a precedent, other social media companies may be forced to take up the rules, too.
The UK has its own measures in place to protect children online.
The Online Safety Act mainly put restrictions on what content young people can see online.
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