US states win Meta settlement
2 months ago
Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion in a landmark settlement with U.S. state attorneys general over claims its social platforms caused addiction among users.
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Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To Make Sure It Gets To Write The Kid Safety Rules For Every Other Social Media Platform
By now...
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
By now...
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To Make Sure It Gets To Write The Kid Safety Rules For Every Other Social Media Platform
By now you've almost certainly heard the news that Meta has settled with 52 state and local Attorneys General who had sued the company in some form or another over child safety on Meta's platforms. The headlines are all covering the basics: the years-long case these states filed against Meta ends, and Meta pays somewhere...
www.techdirt.com
August 26, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To Make Sure It Gets To Write The Kid Safety Rules For Every Other Social Media Platform
By now...
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
By now...
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
Reposted by Brigitte Nerlich, Brendan Nyhan
Meta, mid trial, agrees to settle claims that Facebook and Instagrams harmed children with the owner of the social media platform to pay 29 states more than $16 billion. www.reuters.com/world/us/meta...
Meta settles with US states over social media harms
Meta Platforms reached a settlement to resolve claims brought by states across the country that the company designed Instagram and Facebook to addict children, misled consumers about their safety, and improperly collected personal data of children who used its platforms.
www.reuters.com
August 26, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Meta, mid trial, agrees to settle claims that Facebook and Instagrams harmed children with the owner of the social media platform to pay 29 states more than $16 billion. www.reuters.com/world/us/meta...
I can see why they settled. This is not that much to make the whole thing go away.
Meta Will Pay Up to $16.7 Billion to Settle Its Social Media Harms Case—and That’s Not All
In addition to sending billions of dollars to states, Meta will make substantive changes to its platforms as part of a landmark settlement.
www.wired.com
August 26, 2026 at 3:16 PM
I can see why they settled. This is not that much to make the whole thing go away.
by James Grimmelmann Reposted by Rebecca Tushnet
“We’ll pay you $5 billion if you force our competitors to do a bunch of things that make them less competitive against us.”
Yeah, when you put it that way, it does sound kinda sus.
Yeah, when you put it that way, it does sound kinda sus.
I know there are too many suits to keep up with but this is actually insane. Meta agreed to shell out the rest of the settlement money ($$$$$$$) to the AG only if the AG pressures Meta's competitors to comply too.
That's batshit.
That's batshit.
In case you wanted about 3,700 words on the problems with today's "settlement" that gives Meta way more power over how the internet works than it should have.
August 27, 2026 at 12:47 AM
“We’ll pay you $5 billion if you force our competitors to do a bunch of things that make them less competitive against us.”
Yeah, when you put it that way, it does sound kinda sus.
Yeah, when you put it that way, it does sound kinda sus.
Meta Will Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Social Media Addiction Settlement www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Video: Meta Will Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Social Media Addiction Settlement
Meta has agreed to pay up $17.1 billion in a landmark settlement over social media addiction claims, pledging to limit the time teenagers can spend on its platforms and ban features that stoke mental ...
www.nytimes.com
August 27, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Meta Will Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Social Media Addiction Settlement www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
by Steve Peers Reposted by Christian Odendahl
Meta reaches $17 billion settlement in case involving childrens' use of its platforms www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy...
Meta agrees to pay up to $17.1bn to settle claims its platforms harm children
As part of the settlement, in which the company denies wrongdoing, the Facebook and Instagram owner agrees to make changes to its platforms nationwide.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Meta reaches $17 billion settlement in case involving childrens' use of its platforms www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy...
by James Grimmelmann Reposted by Suresh Venkatasubramanian
My take is that Meta's pain is just beginning. This doesn't cut off liability in all of the individual suits, and the states will soon find other allegedly harmful practices not covered by the releases in the agreement (depending on how they're worded).
Meta Platforms Inc. has agreed to pay $16.7 billion to settle a landmark social media case with multiple US states, according to a court filing Wednesday.
Meta Agrees to Pay $16.7 Billion to Settle Social Media Case
Meta Platforms Inc. has agreed to pay $16.7 billion to settle a landmark social media case with multiple US states, according to a court filing Wednesday.
bit.ly
August 26, 2026 at 2:23 PM
My take is that Meta's pain is just beginning. This doesn't cut off liability in all of the individual suits, and the states will soon find other allegedly harmful practices not covered by the releases in the agreement (depending on how they're worded).
THIS. Thanks @masnick.com for being one of the few outlets to fully cover child safety BS
Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To Make Sure It Gets To Write The Kid Safety Rules For Every Other Social Media Platform
By now...
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
By now...
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To Make Sure It Gets To Write The Kid Safety Rules For Every Other Social Media Platform
By now you've almost certainly heard the news that Meta has settled with 52 state and local Attorneys General who had sued the company in some form or another over child safety on Meta's platforms. The headlines are all covering the basics: the years-long case these states filed against Meta ends, and Meta pays somewhere...
www.techdirt.com
August 27, 2026 at 1:28 AM
THIS. Thanks @masnick.com for being one of the few outlets to fully cover child safety BS
by Amy Bruckman
Meta will pay $$$ and change its platform: www.wired.com/story/meta-w...
Meta Will Pay Up to $16.7 Billion to Settle Its Social Media Harms Case—and That’s Not All
In addition to sending billions of dollars to states, Meta will make substantive changes to its platforms as part of a landmark settlement.
www.wired.com
August 26, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Meta will pay $$$ and change its platform: www.wired.com/story/meta-w...
Every major tech firm should be litigated into the deep dark dirt and their CEOs and inner circle cronies locked in prison for the rest of their natural lives.
People ask all the time what needs to be done and that has to be part of it.
www.cnbc.com/2026/08/26/m...
People ask all the time what needs to be done and that has to be part of it.
www.cnbc.com/2026/08/26/m...
Meta settles social media addiction case with California, other states for $16.7 billion
Meta and state attorneys general settled a federal trial centering on allegations that company misrepresented the extent of child-related mental health harms.
www.cnbc.com
August 26, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Every major tech firm should be litigated into the deep dark dirt and their CEOs and inner circle cronies locked in prison for the rest of their natural lives.
People ask all the time what needs to be done and that has to be part of it.
www.cnbc.com/2026/08/26/m...
People ask all the time what needs to be done and that has to be part of it.
www.cnbc.com/2026/08/26/m...
Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Greg Linden
Meta is in the midst of a trial for addicting children to its websites. It could cost them $200 billion (or even $1.4 *trillion* by some accounts). It could be the end of social media as we know it, and @ryanlcooper.com feels fine: "Social media... is a gravely toxic institution."
Is This Social Media’s Big Tobacco Moment? - The American Prospect
Meta is being sued for up to $200 billion over allegedly harming children. That would be a good start.
prospect.org
August 26, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Meta is in the midst of a trial for addicting children to its websites. It could cost them $200 billion (or even $1.4 *trillion* by some accounts). It could be the end of social media as we know it, and @ryanlcooper.com feels fine: "Social media... is a gravely toxic institution."
Reposted by Paul Nightingale, Monisha Bajaj
Meta is a creep who will _never_ take no for an answer, and never stop trying to ignore their lack of consent. Every media & regulatory organization in the world seems determined to ignore this reality; I genuinely don't understand why. Today's settlement is so that Meta can keep violating consent.
August 26, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Meta is a creep who will _never_ take no for an answer, and never stop trying to ignore their lack of consent. Every media & regulatory organization in the world seems determined to ignore this reality; I genuinely don't understand why. Today's settlement is so that Meta can keep violating consent.
Meta to Pay Up to $17 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims
The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Meta to Pay Up to $17 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
by Christian Odendahl Reposted by Laurent Pech
That makes EU fines look like small fry.
Meta reaches $17 billion settlement in case involving childrens' use of its platforms www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy...
Meta agrees to pay up to $17.1bn to settle claims its platforms harm children
As part of the settlement, in which the company denies wrongdoing, the Facebook and Instagram owner agrees to make changes to its platforms nationwide.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 26, 2026 at 3:18 PM
That makes EU fines look like small fry.
by Victor Asal
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims
The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
#Meta Squeeze them until the pips squeak.
But the downside: what the U.S. can't regulate through sensible legislation, we shall regulate through torts.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
But the downside: what the U.S. can't regulate through sensible legislation, we shall regulate through torts.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims
The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2026 at 7:21 PM
#Meta Squeeze them until the pips squeak.
But the downside: what the U.S. can't regulate through sensible legislation, we shall regulate through torts.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
But the downside: what the U.S. can't regulate through sensible legislation, we shall regulate through torts.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...