Meta’s $18 billion teen-safety deal raises pressure on TikTok, YouTube
What’s next: California’s attorney general signaled more cases, and $5.3 billion of the deal depends on rivals adopting similar safeguards.
Meta’s settlement of a landmark U.S. child-safety case is shifting pressure onto TikTok, YouTube and Snap as regulators push for similar protections across social media. The deal ends a federal trial in California over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed younger users and misled the public about safety. Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion over 10 years and add default protections for users under 18, including a two-hour daily limit, tighter age checks, muted overnight notifications and limits on some appearance filters. CNBC reported that about $5.3 billion of the payout is tied to whether rivals make comparable changes. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state would keep pursuing cases against other platforms.