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West Virginia could receive up to $114.6 million under a proposed multistate settlement that would require Meta Platforms Inc. to pay up to $17.1 billion and add new protections for children on Instagram and Facebook.
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey announced the agreement August 26. His office described it as the largest state consumer protection settlement outside the Big Tobacco settlements of the 1990s. The agreement is subject to court approval.
The settlement would resolve claims by 47 states, Washington, D.C. and four territories. The states and territories alleged Meta designed Instagram with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to serious mental harms and intentionally misled the public about the safety of its platforms, among other claims.
“Meta knew the dangers it was exposing our children to, all while assuring parents its platforms were safe. That betrayal of trust demanded accountability, and today we’ve delivered it. This settlement isn’t just about the historic payout; it’s about the real changes Meta has now pledged to make to protect our kids online. I’m proud of the bipartisan work of attorneys general across the country who put children ahead of politics to make this happen,” McCuskey said.
The agreement would require a combined two-hour daily limit for children using Instagram and Facebook. Meta also would have to impose mandatory pauses after 15 minutes of continuous use and again at 60 and 90 minutes. Those limits would remain for five years.
If Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube adopt comparable terms, the daily limit on each platform would drop to 60 minutes for 10 years.
Other required changes would block children’s access from midnight to 6 a.m. and eliminate push notifications from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays during the school year.
Meta also would have to strengthen age assurance measures, parental controls and safeguards against bullying, eating disorder content and content related to suicide and self-harm. The agreement would limit social comparison features, including beauty filters and visible like counts.
An independent auditor and the settling states would assess whether Meta implements the changes and whether they work.
The settlement follows a nationwide investigation that began in 2021. The attorneys general alleged Meta designed Instagram features to addict children while documenting resulting mental health harms internally and failing to warn parents. The agreement would resolve lawsuits filed individually by states and as part of a consolidated federal case.
It also would resolve state claims concerning Meta’s sharing of nonpublic information about Facebook users with third parties, including Cambridge Analytica, before the 2016 election.
