Two hours in total between Facebook and Instagram, with long messages and videos not counted. Once the time is up, Feeds, Stories, Explore and Reels close until midnight unless a parent connected to the account increases the limit. The night block starts from midnight to six. These are some of the conditions accepted by Meta to close the US lawsuits that accused it of having designed its social networks to encourage compulsive use by children and adolescents.
The measures are contained in the 130-page agreement filed on August 26, 2026, still subject to judge approval. The federal trial had already begun on August 18 in Oakland, California. Mark Zuckerberg was among the expected witnesses; the agreement came before his deposition. The Facebook founder therefore avoids the witness stand in these proceedings, after eight days of hearings.
They were the ones who signed attorneys generalthe judicial authorities of individual states and territories, and Meta. The main understanding includes 47 states, the District of Columbia and three territoriesfor a total of 51 jurisdictions. Texas reached a separate settlement worth more than $1 billion; this is why Meta, in its official statement, talks about 52 general prosecutors involved. On a legal level, this is a civil settlement and Meta continues to deny the accusations. The document specifies that the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability or violation of the law.
12.1 billion guaranteed, another 5 conditional
The $17.1 billion represents the maximum ceiling. According to the New York attorney general’s office, Meta will pay at least 12.1 billion dollars over ten years. The other five billion will only be released if the main competing platforms reach comparable agreements and the expected economic conditions are met.
The text expressly indicates Snap, TikTok and YouTube. If all of them adopt equivalent measures, a second phase will come into force for Meta: night blocking extended from 10pm to 7am and a limit of 60 minutes on each platform, within a total maximum of two hours.
Calling the entire sum a “17 billion fine” therefore eliminates two substantial details: five billion are still on parole and the document speaks of payments linked to a civil settlement. The funds could be used for mental health services, school programs, crisis helplines, digital literacy and activities for children. The package also includes $459.3 million to settle state claims over data sharing with third parties, including Cambridge Analytica.
Two hours a day, with a few side doors
The default limit will be two hours a day, calculated together on Facebook and Instagram and on any accounts attributable to the same teenager. At midnight the meter will restart. A parent connected through supervision tools will be able to relax the limit; the boy can only make it more restrictive.
Messages, settings and audio or video content that are at least 22 minutes long are excluded from the count. The brake therefore mainly concerns feeds, Reels and short content. After 15 consecutive minutes a warning will appear; at 60 and 90 minutes there will be more evident pauses. The feature must be introduced within four months of the agreement coming into force.
The night lock also retains a port: between midnight and six, messages and settings will remain available. Notifications will instead be silenced from 10pm to 7am. On school days, from 15 August to 15 June, they will be deactivated between 8am and 3pm, with exceptions for direct messages and alerts related to account security.
The algorithmic feed remains the starting choice
Teens will be able to choose a chronological feed made up of content from the accounts they follow, without personalized recommendations. Meta will have to show this possibility within ten days of identifying a new minor account and remind it every 90 days. Parents can make it compulsory. However, the algorithmic feed remains the initial setting: the agreement adds an exit, without moving it in front of the goal.
Likes and other reaction counts will be hidden by default. Meta will also have to block filters that imitate cosmetic surgery or extreme make-up alterations. The measure does not concern any beauty filter: the document excludes, for example, effects obtainable with normal make-up, fantastic ones and deformations used for parody.
The company will also have to strengthen systems to estimate the age of users, place children between 13 and 17 years old in protected accounts and identify those under 13 years old. An independent auditor will be able to access data, documents, systems and personnel to monitor the application of the measures.
The difference between option and initial setting had already entered the classroom. During the trial Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, recognized that the function Take a Break it was only used by a percentage of teenagers on the order of units before becoming default in 2024, according to his testimony. Protections buried in settings, it seems, tend to stay there.
In Italy for now nothing changes
The agreement expressly limits its effects to the adhering states and territories. The text specifies that the obligations do not extend to international jurisdictions and Meta has announced automatic application only to minor users in the affected US areas. For an Italian teenager, therefore, the two-hour limit will not be triggered as a consequence of this lawsuit.
The agreement closes the actions initiated by the participating state authorities. Proceedings brought by individuals, families and school districts remain open. The judge’s signature will start the bill: Meta will then have between four and six months to transform 130 pages of agreement into a brake that actually works within the apps.
