Social Media

Meta Reaches $17 Billion Settlement With States in Landmark Trial Over Teen Social Media Addiction

The agreement is worth $353 million in Virginia alone and is one of the biggest in state consumer protection history.

Associated Press

Aug 26, 2026 — 3 min read

Photo of Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, from Feb. 2026, by Damian Dovarganes/AP

OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 26, 2026 (AP) — Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states, state attorneys general announced Wednesday.

California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were among 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023, but the deal cuts short the trial, which was expected to see CEO Mark Zuckerberg take the stand before a jury in federal court in California.

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Social Media AP Meta Facebook Instagram Mark Zuckerberg Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers Adam Mosseri Arturo Béjar

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