Idaho will receive at least $89.2 million and could collect as much as $127.7 million under a sweeping $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta Platforms over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to encourage addictive use among children.
The agreement, announced by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, resolves claims brought by states and U.S. territories alleging Meta knowingly exposed young users to potential mental-health harms while misleading parents and the public about the safety of its platforms.
The settlement was reached in the middle of a federal trial that began Aug. 18 and had been expected to continue for several weeks. At as much as $17.1 billion, the agreement ranks among the largest state consumer-protection settlements, excluding the tobacco settlements of the 1990s.
“Protecting children in Idaho is one of the most critical responsibilities of my office,” Labrador said. “Intentionally engineering any product to addict children is unconscionable.”
Labrador said Meta sought to create lifetime users despite the potential psychological consequences for children.
“When this trial began, I said we would hold Meta accountable and today I’ve kept that promise,” he said.
The case grew out of a nationwide investigation launched by state attorneys general in 2021 into the practices of social-media companies and their effects on children and teenagers.
The investigation focused in part on allegations that Meta’s own internal research documented potential mental-health problems associated with its platforms even as the company continued promoting Instagram to younger users. Ultimately, 55 attorneys general sued Meta either individually or through consolidated federal litigation.
The settlement goes beyond monetary damages and requires Meta to make substantial changes to how minors can use Instagram and Facebook.
Children will face a combined two-hour daily limit across Facebook and Instagram, with mandatory “Productive Pauses” after 15 minutes of continuous use and again after 60 and 90 minutes. Those requirements will remain in place for five years.
The agreement also requires nighttime restrictions preventing access between midnight and 6 a.m. and eliminates push notifications to children between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays during the school year.
Meta must strengthen age-verification systems and parental controls while imposing additional safeguards involving bullying, eating-disorder material and content related to suicide and self-harm.
The agreement also restricts social-comparison features, including beauty filters and visible like counts, that states argued can contribute to negative mental-health outcomes among younger users.
An independent auditor and participating states will regularly assess whether Meta has implemented the required changes and whether the measures are effective.
The settlement includes attorneys general representing states across the country as well as the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories, making it one of the most significant coordinated state actions against a major technology company.
For Idaho, the final size of the recovery will depend on conditions contained in the settlement. The state is guaranteed $89.2 million, with its share potentially reaching approximately $127.7 million.