Meta reaches $17B settlement. And, nuclear regulator to abandon radiation safety rule

Meta Inc. has agreed to pay up to $17 billion in penalties to four U.S. states in a settlement of a federal lawsuit that accuses the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for children. The states – California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey – argue that Meta knowingly exposed children to the risks of social‑media addiction and failed to disclose that information. Meta denies the allegations. Under the deal, a portion of the money will fund youth mental‑health programs, after‑school activities and crisis intervention services. The company also agreed to modify its platforms, including setting a default daily time limit of two hours for users under 18, blocking nighttime use by default and removing the display of like counts and reaction numbers from posts.

The settlement follows a trial that began on August 18, 2026, in the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland, where state attorneys general presented evidence that Meta’s algorithms were engineered to keep young users engaged. The agreement was reached after a federal judge in Boston dismissed a nationwide injunction that had barred the United States Postal Service from following President Trump’s executive order limiting mail‑in voting. The judge’s decision restores the USPS’s ability to implement the order, a temporary win for the administration ahead of the midterm election.

In other regulatory news, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is preparing to eliminate the “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) standard that has guided radiation exposure limits for nuclear workers for five decades. The proposed rule would remove the requirement that industry reduce workers’ exposure to levels below the stated limits whenever possible and would allow certain employees to receive higher doses under specified conditions. The change aligns with a broader push by the Trump administration to relax nuclear oversight and promote nuclear power for data‑center cooling in artificial‑intelligence facilities. Critics warn that abandoning ALARA could increase radiation exposure for workers, while supporters argue the standard is outdated. Public comment on the proposal closes on August 31, and the rule could take effect early next year.

The United States Department of Education has opened an investigation into Fayetteville Public Schools in Arkansas after the district allegedly directed teachers to consider students’ racial identities when issuing discipline. The school system claims the practice is part of a restorative‑justice effort to address disproportionality of discipline among students of color. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights has issued new guidance stating that race should not be considered in disciplinary matters and that non‑compliance could trigger a formal investigation. The move reignites debate over racial discrimination in K‑12 school discipline policies.

In international news, massive flash floods in Nepal and Tibet have killed at least 270 people and left more than 1,500 missing, including at least 65 Americans, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. The flooding was triggered by a glacier collapse that blocked a river, causing water levels to rise about 30 feet in half an hour and burying communities in mud.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Postal Service’s earlier nationwide ruling that blocked the Trump administration’s mail‑in‑voting order was overturned by a federal judge in Boston, following a Supreme Court decision that the order had been issued too early. The Supreme Court has yet to decide on the legality of the executive order itself, focusing instead on procedural matters.

In the world of hobbies, the Carquinez Model Railroad Society in Crockett, California, continues to attract train enthusiasts. The volunteer‑run club, with nearly 180 members, maintains an expansive model‑train layout based on Bay Area towns and hosts public open houses every few months. Members build new track sections, repair trains and maintain the society’s 129‑year‑old building.

These stories illustrate a range of current events, from corporate accountability and regulatory change to educational policy, natural disasters and community activities.