Meta’s August 26, 2026 settlement with state attorneys general will send billions of dollars to the states. It does not pay a dollar to the families of children harmed by Instagram or Facebook.
Families may qualify for compensation if a young person became addicted to social media before age 18 and was diagnosed with a mental health injury.
According to the Connecticut Attorney General, Meta will pay the states $12.19 billion over ten years, rising to $17.1 billion if TikTok, YouTube and Snap agree to comparable safety terms and payments. The deal came during the second week of trial in Oakland, where four states were presenting the case for a 29-state coalition, claiming that Meta built its apps to addict young users and misled the public about safety. Meta denies liability. Attorneys general from nearly every state joined the settlement.
Changes for Teen Users
The settlement requires Meta to set a default two-hour daily limit for users 13 to 17, combined across Instagram and Facebook, that a teen cannot loosen without a linked parent’s approval. It also requires default overnight restrictions from midnight to 6 a.m., with exceptions such as messaging, and turns off most notifications by default during school hours. Meta must also hide like counts from teens, ban cosmetic surgery filters for minors, offer an optional feed that is not driven by the algorithm and strengthen age checks. An independent auditor will monitor compliance.
Where the Money Goes
Each state’s share is set by the agreement. Tennessee’s share is about $752 million, and Massachusetts expects up to $516 million. Texas reached its own settlement, valued at more than $1 billion. Florida rejected the deal and is pursuing its own case.
None of these payments compensates individual children or families. A family seeking compensation for depression, an eating disorder, self-harm or another injury must file its own claim. Thousands of those claims are pending in federal court and in Los Angeles, where a jury awarded about $6 million against Meta and YouTube in March. Learn more about the state attorney general lawsuits against Meta.
Doyle APC handles social media addiction claims together with experienced co-counsel.
If you or your child is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Common Questions
Can families file a claim for part of the Meta state settlement?
No. The settlement pays the states and does not create a claims process for families.
Does the settlement end the personal injury lawsuits against Meta?
No. Individual claims continue in federal court and in Los Angeles, and the next trial begins October 28, 2026.
Which states are not part of the settlement?
Florida rejected it, and New Mexico and Texas resolved or pursued their claims separately.
Who may have a personal injury claim?
Under the current screening guidelines, young people who became addicted before age 18, are now 25 or younger, and were diagnosed with a mental health injury. They should also have received treatment, or have been diagnosed within the last three months and plan to get treatment. See who may qualify.