Missouri – A $17.1 billion settlement is putting a price tag on years of concern over how social media platforms treat children, and Missouri is expected to receive between $100 million and $150 million from the deal.
Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced the multistate agreement with Meta Platforms, Inc., calling it one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in U.S. history outside the Big Tobacco settlements of the 1990s. But the agreement reaches far beyond money. It requires major changes to how Instagram and Facebook operate for young users.
“Missouri is unwavering in its commitment to ensure major tech platforms take responsibility for the safety of America’s children,” said Attorney General Hanaway.
“As a mother, I know how critical it is to shield kids from predators, addictive material, and content that harms their mental health. Every minor should be secure the moment they log on, and we will continue working toward a digital environment where children are truly protected, no matter where they live or which platform they use.”
Read also: Missouri targets uneven child welfare decisions with new statewide safety framework
The settlement resolves claims brought by 47 other states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. The states alleged that Meta designed Instagram with addictive features, exposed young users to serious mental health risks and misled the public about platform safety.
Under the agreement, children using Instagram and Facebook will face a combined two-hour daily limit for five years, along with mandatory “Productive Pauses” after 15 minutes of continuous use and again at 60 and 90 minutes.
Other protections include blocking access between midnight and 6 a.m., eliminating weekday push notifications from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the school year, stronger age verification and expanded parental controls.
Read also: Country Club Plaza redevelopment advances with nearly 1,000 homes and major commercial expansion
Meta must also introduce safer content settings targeting bullying, eating-disorder material and content involving suicide or self-harm. Beauty filters, visible “like” counts and other social-comparison features will face new limits. Independent auditors and the settling states will regularly evaluate whether the protections are working.
If Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube eventually adopt comparable protections, the settlement provides for Meta’s daily limit to fall to 60 minutes per platform for 10 years.
Hanaway said Meta’s agreement could establish a broader standard for the industry.
“Meta’s willingness to acknowledge the harm and take meaningful corrective action is an important step forward for the safety of children across the country,” concluded Attorney General Hanaway.
The settlement follows a nationwide investigation that began in 2021 into social media platforms and their treatment of children and teenagers. It also resolves state claims involving Meta’s sharing of nonpublic Facebook user information with third parties, including Cambridge Analytica, before the 2016 election.
For Missouri, the agreement delivers a nine-figure payment. Nationally, its larger impact may come from the rules now being placed around how children use two of the world’s biggest social media platforms.
