Connecticut could receive as much as $265.4 million under a massive multistate settlement with Meta that would also impose new limits on how children use Instagram and Facebook, Attorney General William Tong announced Wednesday.
The agreement calls for Meta to pay states at least $12.19 billion over 10 years to settle allegations that the company knowingly designed its social media platforms with addictive features that harmed children and teens while misleading the public about their safety.
The total could grow to about $17.1 billion if TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat agree to comparable safety requirements and financial settlements with states, according to Tong’s office. The settlement still requires approval from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in California.
Connecticut could receive up to $265.4 million. At least half of the state’s money would have to be spent addressing harms associated with youth social media use, including mental health and crisis intervention, after-school and summer programs and phone-free school initiatives.
The agreement would also force some of the most significant changes yet to the way Instagram and Facebook operate for children.
For five years, anyone under 18 would be limited to a combined two hours a day on Instagram and Facebook, with mandatory interruptions after 15 minutes of continuous use and again after 60 and 90 minutes. Children would also face overnight restrictions from midnight to 6 a.m., while push notifications would be shut off during school hours.
Meta would also be required to use stronger age-verification measures, expand parental controls and give parents the ability to turn off algorithmic feeds and autoplay. The agreement calls for additional restrictions on beauty filters, visible “like” counts and content involving bullying, eating disorders, suicide and self-harm.
If TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat ultimately accept comparable settlement terms, the limit would become one hour per platform and remain in place for 10 years, according to Tong’s office.
“Over the next year, and in some instances much sooner, Meta must deploy robust age verification measures, critical caps on time online, parental options to turn off algorithmic feeds and auto-play functions, and content moderation, among other critical reforms,” Tong said in a news release.
Meta has denied allegations that it intentionally harmed young users and the settlement does not amount to an admission of wrongdoing. The agreement cuts short a closely watched federal trial in California over claims that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to encourage compulsive use among children and teens.
The litigation grew out of a nationwide investigation that began in 2021. Connecticut and dozens of other states later accused Meta of knowing that some Instagram and Facebook features could harm young users while continuing to deploy them.
The settlement also resolves a separate Connecticut-led investigation involving Meta’s sharing of Facebook user information with outside companies, including Cambridge Analytica before the 2016 election.
Connecticut lawmakers have separately approved restrictions on social media use by minors that are scheduled to impose additional requirements on platforms. Among other provisions, the state law restricts addictive algorithms and notifications without parental consent and sets default limits on nighttime notifications.
Tong called the settlement “a new course for online safety” and warned that states would continue pursuing other major social media companies.
“To TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat — our expectations are clear,” Tong said. “You’re next.”
