Meta agrees to $18 billion deal in US child-safety case

Meta reached a settlement worth up to $18 billion with a coalition of US states and territories, ending a landmark trial over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed younger users and misled the public about safety risks. The deal requires product changes for users under 18, including a default two-hour daily limit across both apps, muted notifications overnight and during school hours, hidden likes for teens and tighter age-verification measures. CNBC reported that about $12.7 billion would be paid over 10 years, while $5.3 billion depends on rivals such as TikTok and YouTube making similar changes. Meta did not admit wrongdoing. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the states would keep pressing other social media platforms.