Wisconsin is expected to receive at least $219 million as part of a landmark $17.1 billion multi-state settlement with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over allegations the social media platforms harmed children’s mental health.
Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Wisconsin’s participation in the agreement, which was reached by a coalition of 52 attorneys general. The settlement includes both financial payments and significant changes aimed at reducing social media use among teens and strengthening protections for young users. Kaul said the agreement is among the largest settlements ever reached involving a technology company.
“These numbers make this the largest big tech settlement in the history of the country,” Kaul said. “It’s also the largest state consumer protection settlement ever aside from those involving big tobacco in a case where there’s a single company that’s settling.”
In addition to financial compensation, the settlement would require Meta to implement a range of new safeguards for younger users on Facebook and Instagram. Among the changes are limits designed to reduce excessive social media use by teenagers. Kaul said users ages 13 to 17 would face a combined daily limit on time spent across both platforms.
“For those from the ages of 13 to 17, this agreement will create a combined two-hour daily limit for both Facebook and Instagram in total,” Kaul said. “There will be mandatory pauses at 15 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes. The goal of that is to help interrupt what my kids would refer to as doom scrolling online.”
Additional restrictions would apply during overnight hours and throughout the school day, according to the agreement. Kaul noted that while the financial payout is substantial, the platform changes could have an even greater long-term impact.
“These changes are not only going to help reduce harms for kids’ mental health online, but I hope they can set a new standard for the entire industry so that kids who are using social media can stay safe and remain healthy as they’re online,” Kaul said. “We want to see this agreement prompt other companies to make similar changes.”
Funds Wisconsin receives from the settlement could be used to support a variety of youth-focused initiatives, including crisis intervention services, after-school programs, digital wellness efforts, mental health programming, digital literacy counseling, and training for medical providers on issues such as social media use and body dysmorphia.
Under the agreement, Wisconsin is guaranteed at least $219 million and could ultimately receive as much as $313 million.