SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is expected to receive more than $212 million over the next decade as part of a $12.2 billion multistate settlement with Meta that would require significant changes to Instagram and Facebook aimed at protecting children and teenagers.
The settlement, announced Wednesday, is subject to court approval and resolves claims brought by Utah, 46 other states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories. The states alleged Meta designed Instagram with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to serious mental health harms and misled the public about the safety of its platforms.
The agreement would require Meta to verify users’ ages, impose time and nighttime restrictions on teen accounts, strengthen parental controls and provide young users with an alternative to personalized algorithmic feeds.
Utah is expected to receive $212 million over 10 years. The state’s share could increase to as much as $301 million if Snap, TikTok and YouTube agree to substantially similar terms.
Nationwide, Meta will pay the states $12.2 billion, including direct relief and reimbursement of litigation costs. The total could rise to $17.1 billion if the other major social media platforms agree to comparable terms.
“More than three years ago, I said that without strong action, social media companies would not make the changes necessary to protect our children,” Gov. Spencer Cox said. “Today’s historic settlement proves both the urgency of that warning and what determined state action can accomplish.”
Cox said the agreement makes clear Meta could have previously implemented the protections.
“We will hold Meta to every promise it has made, and we will continue fighting to ensure every platform puts the well-being of children ahead of profit,” he said.
One of the most significant provisions would require Meta to establish an age-assurance system for Facebook and Instagram. The system would determine whether users are minors or younger than 13 and would be subject to annual audits by an independent expert.
New users would automatically receive some teen protections for their first 14 days while their age is determined. After 14 days, users who have not completed age verification would be treated as teenagers even if they claim to be adults.
Meta would also be required to detect secondary accounts created by teenagers and children younger than 13. Usage limits would apply across linked or matched accounts, preventing young users from simply creating another account to avoid restrictions.
Teen users would initially face a combined two-hour daily limit across Instagram and Facebook. Once the limit is reached, most features would be unavailable until the next day.
The apps would also interrupt continuous use with “Productive Pause” reminders after 15, 60 and 90 minutes. Meta would be required to study whether the interruptions reduce excessive use and adjust them based on feedback and expert review.
Nighttime restrictions would initially prevent teens from scrolling through feeds between midnight and 6 a.m. A later phase calls for restrictions from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Messaging would remain available, but other app features would be restricted. Nighttime notifications would also be disabled unless a parent allows them.
During the school year, notifications would be turned off on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parents could impose additional restrictions allowing teens to use only messaging features during school hours.
“For the first time, Meta must put kids’ safety ahead of its business model,” Utah Attorney General Derek Brown said. “After negotiations with Meta, we secured a settlement that delivers consequential and enforceable changes.”
Brown said the agreement gives Utah families additional tools to protect children from harmful content and compulsive social media use.
“We will continue to use all legal tools available to us to protect kids online,” he said.
Parents would receive more information about supervised teens’ activity, including time spent on the platforms, messaging and risky searches. They would also be notified about new secondary accounts and first-time contacts with adults.
Parents could impose additional restrictions, while teens would generally need parental approval to loosen default safety settings.
The agreement also addresses how content is presented to younger users. Teens would be given an easily accessible option to use a non-personalized home feed and would receive reminders every 90 days that the option is available.
Visible numbers of likes and reactions would be turned off for teens by default, unless a parent approves changing the setting. Teens would also be prohibited from using filters designed to mimic cosmetic procedures.
Meta would be required to maintain protections against harmful or inappropriate content and risky interactions with suspicious accounts. Parents supervising teen accounts would receive warnings when suspicious accounts contact their children.
The settlement also places restrictions on the information Meta can collect as part of its age-verification system. The company would generally be required to retain only the minimum information needed to determine age and then delete it. Certain information involving children younger than 13 could be retained to improve Meta’s age-detection system but would have to receive the company’s highest level of data protection.
Compliance would be reviewed by an independent auditor with access to relevant company data. The auditor would issue regular reports and identify weaknesses, with Meta required to correct deficiencies through an approved plan.
Despite the additional safeguards, Utah officials continue to recommend parents delay introducing children to social media as long as possible and maintain supervision and conversations about the risks of excessive social media use.
“Today’s landmark settlement holds Meta accountable for the incalculable harm their platforms have inflicted on our kids,” Utah Department of Commerce Commissioner Margaret Woolley Busse said. “It’s a crucial step in ensuring that children’s safety and mental well-being are prioritized over profit.”
Utah’s involvement in the case dates to Oct. 24, 2023, when the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection filed its complaint against Meta. The division was represented by the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
The agreement also resolves claims concerning Meta’s sharing of Facebook users’ nonpublic information with third parties, including Cambridge Analytica, before the 2016 election.
Idaho and Wyoming are also among the states participating in the settlement.