$17B deal includes restrictions for New Jersey kids on Facebook, Instagram
📱 Meta must add new safety restrictions to Facebook and Instagram for young users.
💰 New Jersey could receive at least $525 million from the multistate settlement.
⏰ Kids face daily time limits, nighttime blocks and fewer notifications during school.
Meta must make major changes to Facebook and Instagram as part of a historic settlement with states, including New Jersey, over accusations that the platforms harmed children and teens.
On Wednesday, Meta agreed to add child-safety measures to its platforms and to pay out claims from 47 states and D.C. The states accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram with addictive features that harmed young users and of misleading the public about the platforms' safety.
Meta did not admit any wrongdoing. Their settlement avoids a jury verdict and the expected testimony of CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
New Jersey was one of four states, including California, Colorado and Kentucky, that led the 2023 lawsuit. The Garden State alone is expected to receive at least $525 million to settle its claim, according to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. That settlement could reach over $752 million.
Facebook and Instagram will face new limits for kids
The settlement comes shortly after New Jersey enacted a separate package of laws aimed at protecting children online. Gov. Sherrill signed the measures earlier this month, including legislation codifying an age-appropriate design code and creating a Social Media Research Center.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a mom of four, said it was a major victory for New Jersey families to hold Big Tech accountable.
"More important, parents and teens will finally get some relief, including groundbreaking new safety features to protect kids online. But here in New Jersey, we won’t stop fighting until all of the Big Tech companies follow suit and finally stop the constant assault of addictive algorithms," Sherrill said.
According to the OAG, new required safety measures include:
- A daily time limit of two hours combined for Instagram and Facebook use, with automatic pauses after 15 minutes of continuous use, and again after 60 and 90 minutes — to remain in effect for 5 years.
If Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube adopt comparable terms, the daily limit on each platform will drop to 60 minutes, and extend to 10 years. - “Nighttime blocks” restricting youth access from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Limited school‑time access for children, with limited push notifications on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during the school year.
- Enhanced procedures to more effectively verify the age of users.
- Stronger safeguards against bullying, content promoting eating disorders, and content related to suicide and self‑harm.
- Parent controls that are easier to use and more effective.
- Restricted social comparison features, including beauty filters and visible “like” counts linked to poor mental health outcomes in children and teens.
- Independent audits of Meta’s implementation and the impact of these new safety features, reported to and reviewed by concerned states.
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