What the Meta settlement means for the UK, and other questions after the deal

Meta has agreed to an $18 billion settlement with nearly every U.S. state to resolve lawsuits concerning child safety on its platforms. As part of the deal, which includes no admission of wrongdoing, the tech giant will implement significant new safety features on Facebook and Instagram. These measures include strict screen time limits, warnings, expanded parental controls, and overnight access restrictions for teenage users.

The financial payout will be distributed over ten years across almost all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and three territories. While substantial, the sum represents a fraction of Meta's $201 billion revenue from last year. Individual states will receive varying amounts, with New York set to collect at least $819 million to fund youth mental health services and educational programs. Florida rejected the agreement, while New Mexico was excluded following a prior court case. Crucially, 30 percent of the settlement money is contingent on rival platforms TikTok and YouTube agreeing to implement similar youth safety measures.

Under the terms of the settlement, Meta must also overhaul its data practices regarding minors. Personal data collected from young users may only be used to estimate their age. Users identified as under 13 will be removed from the platforms, while those aged 13 to 17 will automatically receive enhanced protections. Meta stated it would strengthen its age assurance technology, while reiterating its position that app stores should handle primary age verification.

Following the agreement, Meta called on competitors including TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to adopt matching safety restrictions. Meta stated that failing to apply uniform regulations across the industry would simply prompt teenagers to migrate to less restrictive platforms. Competitors have not made public commitments regarding the settlement conditions.

Although the new rules currently apply only to U.S. users, international regulators are expected to review the measures. The U.K. government announced it is closely following the outcome. The U.K. has already introduced its own Online Safety Act and plans to implement a total social media ban for children under 16 by 2027, along with potential curfews for older teens.

Industry observers suggest the deal sets a new standard for Big Tech accountability. Trevor Johnson, a former senior executive at Meta and TikTok, stated that the U.K. and other jurisdictions may feel empowered to demand similar protections. Former Meta director Zvika Krieger noted the company agreed to the settlement to avoid outright bans, adding that these features could eventually be deployed globally. However, child safety advocates warned that time restrictions alone do not address the harmful content hosted on these platforms.