Meta's $18B teen-safety deal splits free-speech, antitrust camps

Meta's surprise settlement of a multi-state lawsuit alleging it designed Instagram and Facebook to be addictive to teenagers has drawn sharply different reactions from First Amendment lawyers, tech researchers, and antitrust analysts, reflecting the legal and commercial tightrope the company is walking.

The social media giant on Wednesday struck a deal with a coalition of state attorneys general less than two weeks after the trial began. The settlement, which still requires approval from the federal judge overseeing the case, includes restrictions for teen users: a two-hour daily scroll limit, a nighttime block on feeds, and a ban on notifications during school hours.

Financially, the deal carries a headline cost of roughly $18 billion. Around $5 billion of that sum is contingent on similar action by YouTube and TikTok, a clause that has drawn the sharpest criticism.