Penalty Amount
$17,100,000,000
Attorney General James and a bipartisan coalition of 50 other attorneys general secured a landmark settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) worth up to $17.1 billion to address the company's harmful and addictive features targeting minors on Facebook and Instagram. The settlement requires Meta to implement significant changes, including age verification, time limits for minors, restrictions on notifications, and options to opt out of algorithmic feeds, along with monetary payments to states for mental health and education programs.
Meta will pay up to $17.1 billion to the states, with at least $12.1 billion guaranteed. The settlement also mandates that Meta verify user ages, limit minors to two hours of daily use, restrict night access, limit notifications, provide non-algorithmic feed options, and implement other content and privacy safeguards for users under 18. These restrictions will last at least five years and could strengthen if other social media companies reach similar settlements.
In-house legal teams should review their contracts with social media platforms and any agreements involving user data or minors to ensure compliance with the new standards set by this settlement. Key clauses to examine include those related to age verification, parental consent mechanisms, content moderation policies, algorithmic feed transparency, notification restrictions, and data collection practices for users under 18. Additionally, contracts should address the ability to implement non-algorithmic feed options and time limits, and include provisions for monitoring and reporting on compliance with these requirements.
Entity
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-secures-171-billion-and-groundbreaking-reforms-meta
california et al v meta platforms inc et al settlement 2026
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/settlements-agreements/california-et-al-v-meta-platforms-inc-et-al-settlement-2026.pdf
california et al v meta platforms inc et al joint motion 202
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/settlements-agreements/california-et-al-v-meta-platforms-inc-et-al-joint-motion-2026.pdf
New York Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://ag.ny.gov/press-releases
"social media giant Meta"
"Meta will pay up to $17.1 billion to the states."
"designed and implemented features that it knew to be harmful to children and teens"
$17.0B
Meta Platforms, Inc. agreed to a landmark $17 billion multistate settlement resolving claims that it intentionally designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harmed youth mental health, and misled the public about platform safety. Virginia will receive a guaranteed $353 million, and Meta must implement extensive child-safety measures including daily time limits, age verification, and content restrictions.
A bipartisan coalition of 33 state attorneys general, led by Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, began trial against Meta Platforms, Inc., alleging the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that drive children and teens to use the platforms compulsively, while falsely assuring parents and the public that its platforms were safe for young users. The states also allege Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA. The trial opened before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with the states seeking monetary penalties and injunctive relief.
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general led by New Jersey, California, Colorado, and Kentucky is taking Meta Platforms, Inc. to trial, alleging that Meta designed addictive features on Instagram and Facebook that harm minors' mental health, illegally collected data from children under 13 without the required protections under COPPA, and misled users about platform safety. Opening arguments begin August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. No monetary penalty or final remedy has yet been imposed.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement marking the first day of trial in a multistate lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company knowingly designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harm children's mental health. The coalition alleges Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA, and seeks monetary penalties, restitution, and an injunction against deceptive practices.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced a court ruling denying Meta Platforms, Inc.'s motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit alleging Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children and misled parents. The court allowed claims under COPPA and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to proceed to trial, scheduled for August 2026.
The Virginia Attorney General, as part of a multistate coalition, secured a court ruling allowing their case against Meta to proceed to trial. The case alleges that Meta designed and deployed harmful features on its platforms that addict children and teens, causing severe mental and physical detriment. The trial is scheduled for August.