Meta has reached a major settlement agreement, pledging up to $16.7 billion to resolve claims that it purposefully designed its social platforms to addict young users while misleading the public about safety risks. Filed in a California federal court, this agreement effectively concludes a high-profile trial that scrutinized the company’s data collection practices regarding children under 13. While the tech giant maintains its denial of any wrongdoing and did not admit to liability in the filing, the deal marks a significant turning point in how the company will be forced to operate moving forward.

Beyond the financial penalty, the agreement mandates sweeping structural changes to Facebook and Instagram aimed at protecting younger users. Key updates include a default "nighttime block" that restricts access between midnight and 6 a.m., as well as a new two-hour daily usage limit for accounts belonging to teenagers. These changes come on the heels of intense testimony, including admissions from Instagram head Adam Mosseri regarding the lack of effectiveness in previous safety tools, and follow reports that internal company measures were often "designed to fail." The settlement, which now awaits final judicial approval, promises to bring unprecedented oversight and safety-focused restrictions to the Meta ecosystem.