Meta agrees to $18 billion deal over child safety lawsuit:Agreement applies to participating US states; case could further impact Indian users

Imagine opening Instagram late at night and finding that you simply cannot scroll anymore. For teenagers in parts of the US, that could soon become reality. Meta has reached an agreement worth up to $18 billion with a group of US state attorneys general over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were designed in ways that could harm young users. Meta has not admitted wrongdoing as part of the settlement. If approved by the courts, Meta will introduce new restrictions for users under 18 in participating US states and territories. These include a two-hour daily limit, a midnight-to-6 a.m. block, fewer notifications during school hours, and stronger parental controls. What was the case about? The lawsuit accused Meta of designing Instagram and Facebook in ways that could keep children and teenagers hooked. States also alleged that Meta collected personal information from children without proper parental knowledge, potentially violating US children’s privacy rules. Meta has denied the allegations and says it has already introduced several safety measures for teenagers. What changes will teenagers see? The settlement proposes several major changes: 1. Two-hour daily limit Teenagers will get a default two-hour limit across Facebook and Instagram combined. The limit can only be turned off with parental permission. They will also receive reminders after every 15 minutes of continuous use. 2. No Instagram or Facebook at night A new Night Mode will block teenagers from using the apps between midnight and 6 am. They will not be able to scroll through their Feed, Stories, Explore, or Reels during these hours. Direct messages will remain available so they can stay in touch with friends and family. 3. No notifications during school hours From 8 am to 3 pm, notifications will be muted by default. Messages and important safety or account alerts will still come through. 4. Stronger age checks Meta will invest more in technology that can identify accounts that may belong to children under 13 or teenagers using an incorrect adult birth date. This is important because many of the new restrictions depend on Meta correctly identifying a user’s age. 5. More control for parents Parents will get additional tools to monitor how their teenagers use the platforms. Meta says parents will also receive alerts about certain account changes and potentially suspicious interactions. Why were Facebook and Instagram criticised? The states’ case focused on concerns that social media can encourage excessive use among young people. Some of the major concerns included: The lawsuit argued that Meta knew about these risks but continued to operate its platforms in ways that could encourage young users to stay engaged. Also read: Haven’t bought a Rakhi gift yet for your sibling?: 7 electronic items under ₹1,000 you can get delivered in minutes

What does Meta say? Meta has not accepted the allegations as part of the settlement. Instead, the company says it is already working on teen safety and is presenting the new agreement as a possible industry-wide model. Meta’s Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney said: Because teens move fluidly across dozens of apps, we need an industry-wide solution. Meta is therefore calling on TikTok and YouTube to introduce similar protections. Why is the deal worth $18 billion? The agreement involves a payment of approximately $18 billion, which will be distributed to participating states over 10 years. However, Meta will not necessarily pay the entire amount immediately. Around 70%, or about $12.7 billion, is allocated over the decade, while the remaining $5.3 billion depends on TikTok and YouTube adopting similar measures and matching the related payments. Will these rules apply in India? The agreement applies to participating US states and territories, so Indian teenagers will not automatically get the midnight-to-6 am block or two-hour limit because of this settlement. However, the case could still matter to Indian users. Meta is pushing for these measures to become an industry-wide standard, including on YouTube and TikTok. If similar safety rules are adopted more widely, Meta could eventually introduce comparable features in other countries, including India. But there is no confirmed global rollout announced as part of this agreement. Could age verification create a new problem? There is another side to these new rules: privacy. To restrict children, platforms first need to know who is actually a child. Age-verification systems can involve selfies, identity documents, or behavioural analysis, raising concerns about how sensitive information is handled. So the bigger question is not only whether social media can be made safer for children, but also how much personal information platforms should collect to keep them safe. Also read: Bill Gates says humans aren’t ready for AI changes: Jobs at risk, youth to be most affected; he urges governments to plan now

What happens next? The agreement still needs judicial approval. If approved, most of the measures will remain in place for years, with several provisions set for 10 years. An independent auditor will also review Meta’s compliance with the agreement. In short: the settlement could fundamentally change how American teenagers use Facebook and Instagram, from limiting daily screen time to blocking access at night. But its bigger impact could be on the wider social-media industry if TikTok and YouTube follow Meta’s lead.