Michigan Secures $171 Million in Meta Settlement Over Social Media Harm to Children

Michigan is among 47 states receiving $17 billion from Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, as part of a legal settlement over teen social media addiction.

The state will receive at least $171 million under the agreement which will fundamentally change how minors interact with social media.

"I'm pleased to announce that Meta has reached an agreement with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general from around the country on a new set of rules governing teens' use of social media," Meta spokesperson C.J. Mahoney said in an email sent to the Free Press on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

"The framework we've negotiated will empower parents to easily manage how their children access our platforms. Because teens move fluidly across dozens of apps, we need an industry-wide solution. We therefore call on our industry peers, TikTok and YouTube, to implement this new framework, right away."

Allegations Against Meta

Claims by state attorneys general say the company designed Instagram with addictive features and knowingly exposed young users to serious mental harms.

Additionally, the states, along with Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas Islands, allege that Meta intentionally misled the public about the safety of its platforms.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says the settlement also resolves claims against Meta for sharing nonpublic information about users with third parties leading up to the 2016 election.

Where Will the Money Go?

Other AG's have already announced plans for where the money will go, including Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, who said the state will pay for attorney costs first and then fund consumer protection laws and programs that address the mental health impacts of youth social media use.

It is not yet clear where Michigan's settlement money will go. The Free Press called and emailed the AG's office on Wednesday with questions. Officials did not immediately respond for comment.

New Safety Requirements

The settlement requires Meta to implement a litany of safety features, including:

• Eliminating push notifications on weekdays during the school year

• More user-friendly parental controls

• Limits on beauty features and visible like counts that allegedly contribute to poor mental health in children

The implementation of the features will be regularly assessed by the settling state and an independent auditor.

"For too many years, social media platforms have traded our children's mental health for engagement on their apps," Nessel said. "This historic settlement holds Meta accountable and puts critical, first-of-its-kind safeguards in place to protect Michigan kids, including daily screen breaks, nighttime access blocks, and the removal of harmful features like public like counts. Now, the responsibility to protect our youth cannot end here. It is my hope that this is a turning point for the entire social media industry to prioritize the safety and well-being of children over their bottom line."

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much will Michigan receive from the Meta settlement?

A: Michigan will receive at least $171 million as part of the $17 billion settlement with Meta Platforms Inc. over teen social media addiction and harmful platform features.

Q: What new safety features will Meta implement?

A: The settlement requires Meta to eliminate push notifications during school weekdays, add more user-friendly parental controls, limit beauty features, and remove visible like counts that contribute to poor mental health in children.

Q: What other claims does the settlement resolve?

A: The settlement also resolves claims that Meta shared nonpublic user information with third parties leading up to the 2016 election, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.