META RESTRICTS TEEN ACCESS IN MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR SETTLEMENT

Under the agreement, Meta must introduce features that limit daily usage for teens and prevent them from disabling safety settings without parental permission. The company will also implement a "School Mode" feature to help young users manage their screen time during academic hours. The settlement represents a significant regulatory victory for US state authorities concerned about social media's impact on teen mental health and well-being. Meta faces financial penalties as part of the multibillion-dollar agreement. These restrictions join existing safety measures Meta has rolled out in recent years, including age verification tools and privacy controls tailored for younger users. The changes are expected to roll out gradually across both platforms. The settlement marks one of the largest regulatory actions against a tech company focused specifically on youth protection in social media environments.