As reported by K-12 Dive, an August 26, 2026 social media litigation settlement between Meta and 52 states and territories looks to make sweeping changes to how youth interact with these platforms in efforts to reduce harm to youth mental health.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2023 and claimed Meta illegally collected and used data from children under the age of 13 who used its platforms. The suit also averred that Meta made platform design decisions that drove excessive use and lied to users, their families, and the public about the safety of Facebook and Instagram. The suit alleged that such actions violated federal and state laws, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Under the agreement, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays during the school year, Meta apps will mute push notifications except for direct messages and alerts about account security or safety. There will also be a default two-hour daily time limit for access across Facebook and Instagram that teens can only turn off with a parent’s permission. Other promised changes Meta is making include youth receiving prompts every 15 minutes of continuous screen time on Facebook or Instagram and a block for teens using extreme makeup filters. Meta has also agreed to have a default block from its apps between midnight and 6 a.m.
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