Meta settles landmark state child harm claims for $18 billion and promises changes to its platforms | CNN Business

Meta said Wednesday it has agreed to pay about $18 billion as part of a settlement to resolve a multistate lawsuit claiming that it intentionally designed addictive platforms that harmed young people’s mental health. The settlement ends a landmark legal battle for the social media giant. As part of the deal, Meta has agreed to make changes to its platforms, such as establishing daily time limits for teen users, according to a court filing. Just over $17 billion will go to settling a lawsuit brought jointly by 29 states in 2023; the remainder will settle claims between Meta and other states and territories. The payment will provide funding for state “youth online safety initiatives,” according to the company. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers approved the settlement on Wednesday. The agreement comes just over a week after a trial began in California, in which four of the states were seeking as much as $1.4 trillion in damages and changes to the company’s platforms. Instagram head Adam Mosseri was set to take the stand for a second day on Wednesday, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was also expected to testify in the case. Meta has long denied that its platforms harm ch