Description

Meta’s $18 Billion Teen Safety Reckoning: Is The Infinite Scroll Era Finally Ending?

Meta Platforms has agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 48 state attorneys general over allegations that Facebook and Instagram harmed younger users, ending a closely watched federal trial and introducing some of the strongest teen-focused restrictions yet imposed on a major social-media platform. The agreement goes well beyond financial penalties. Users under 18 will face a default two-hour daily limit, overnight restrictions between midnight and 6 a.m., reduced notifications during school hours, and parental approval requirements for changing certain settings. The timing is particularly striking because Meta has been telling investors that artificial intelligence is making its recommendation systems more personalized, more relevant and more effective at increasing engagement. Just weeks before the settlement, management reported double-digit growth in Instagram time spent and described AI as substantially expanding the pool of personalized content available to users.