Meta and state attorneys general have agreed to settle a prominent lawsuit that accused the company of crafting addictive social media platforms aimed at young users. The agreement, revealed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, demands Meta make significant alterations to apps like Facebook and Instagram and pay up to $17 billion to states over a decade.
According to Bonta, changes will involve setting default daily time limits for users under 18 and restricting notifications during nighttime or school hours. Furthermore, apps will block certain features, including plastic surgery filters, to minimize potential harm.
The lawsuit initiated in 2023 encompassed 29 states but culminated in a settlement involving 47 states, three territories, and Washington D.C. The settlement awaits judicial approval. In addition to these settlements, Meta has agreed to pay Texas over $1 billion for similar accusations, totaling over $18 billion.
California, accompanied by 28 states, alleged Meta’s platforms encouraged excessive usage among teens and young children. The lawsuit also accused Meta of misleading the public about mental and physical health risks associated with their apps and routinely collecting data from users under 13 without parental consent.
The settlement is set to halt the California trial where Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was anticipated to testify. Meta’s Chief Legal Officer, C.J. Mahoney, emphasized the settlement involves new regulations governing teen usage and advocated for industry competitors to adopt similar measures.
Mahoney noted, “The framework we’ve negotiated will empower parents to manage their children’s access to our platform. This will work only if all our peers join us since teens frequently navigate between multiple apps.” He encouraged TikTok and YouTube to follow Meta’s example.
In other news, Democrats and one independent in key political races have committed to supporting increased regulation of the AI industry amidst scrutiny of data centers. This AI Pact proposes a five-pronged regulatory approach as technology evolves rapidly.
Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley is investigating Flock Safety’s extensive surveillance network. Bill Gates warned that AI could be the greatest equalizer or a significant source of injustice, urging prompt action to address its societal impacts.
In a significant development, the Department of Justice has disrupted a Chinese hacking operation targeting U.S. agencies. It seized hacking platforms operated by a state-run group affiliated with Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Co., aimed at U.S. critical infrastructure.
Additional updates include Google’s AI responsibility team’s relocation amid reorganization and Amazon’s plans to purchase two million Nvidia chips for data centers. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry dismissed environmental concerns about SpaceX’s impending facility along the Gulf Coast, focusing on other matters regarding the launch site.