RALEIGH — North Carolina is guaranteed to receive at least $451 million and could collect as much as $645 million under a landmark child-safety settlement with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced the agreement as part of a settlement involving a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from states and U.S. territories.
Meta will pay participating states as much as $17.1 billion over 10 years. The North Carolina Department of Justice described it as the largest settlement involving a major technology company and the second-largest state consumer-protection settlement in U.S. history.
North Carolina joined a federal lawsuit against Meta in 2023. The participating states alleged that the company designed Facebook and Instagram to increase the amount of time children spent on the platforms while downplaying potential risks to young users.
Meta did not admit wrongdoing or liability as part of the settlement.
In addition to the financial payments, Meta agreed to make several changes affecting users younger than 18.
Teen accounts will have a default two-hour daily limit across Facebook and Instagram. Changing that limit will require parental permission. Access to major app features will also be blocked by default between midnight and 6 a.m.
During the school year, feed notifications will be muted between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Teen users will receive prompts after every 15 minutes of continuous use, and like counts will be hidden by default.
The company must also improve its age-verification system, disable filters that imitate plastic surgery and notify parents when suspicious accounts contact their children. An independent auditor will monitor the company’s compliance and publish its findings.
Payments to North Carolina are expected to continue through 2035. Jackson is encouraging the General Assembly to use the money for after-school and summer programs, crisis helplines and health personnel in public schools.
Sources: North Carolina Department of Justice and Meta
