Settlement agreement says Meta must make many safety and wellness features the default option for young users
Nick Robins-Early and Johana BhuiyanWed 26 Aug 2026 17.31 EDTFirst published on Wed 26 Aug 2026 15.42 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleMeta has agreed to put new guardrails on teenagers’ use of its apps, in a decision that could fundamentally change the social media experience for young people in the US.
In a turnaround, the social media giant will make several safety limitations the default option for young users, instead of requiring them to opt in.
The changes came as part of a settlement in a major trial in California, which also requires the social media company to pay up to $17bn to the states that filed suit. Meta also agreed to pay $1bn to the state of Texas, which wasn’t part of the lawsuit. The agreement represents the first time that Meta has been forced to change key features of the experience of everyday users on its home turf.
Rob Bonta, the California attorney general and a lead lawyer on the case, brought by 29 states, called the changes a “watershed” moment and said the default nature of the features would make it harder for young users to circumvent these guardrails.
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