Meta has agreed to a $17.1 billion settlement to resolve a lawsuit alleging that its Facebook and Instagram platforms were designed to be addictive to teenagers.

As part of the agreement, the technology company will impose mandatory daily usage limits of two hours on teen accounts. Access to the apps and their notifications will also be restricted late at night and during school hours.

The agreement further requires Meta to adopt tougher age-verification measures aimed at preventing children below the age of 13 from accessing its platforms. The company will also reduce features such as “likes” on teen accounts and provide users with non-personalized feeds.

The settlement is being led by a coalition of attorneys general from U.S. states. Most of the funds will be directed towards resolving state privacy claims and supporting programmes focused on improving online safety for young people.

A third-party auditor will also be appointed to oversee Meta’s compliance with the terms of the settlement.

Meta’s legal team said the new restrictions on usage represented a positive way forward. The company also called on other social media platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, to introduce comparable measures aimed at protecting young users.

Source Leadership.ng