Meta Pays $17B to Protect Kids Online | Augusta Georgia News

Meta just agreed to a $17.1 billion settlement across multiple states — including $246 million for South Carolina — in one of the biggest consumer protection deals ever, aimed squarely at protecting kids online. The agreement forces Meta to overhaul Instagram and Facebook with strict new safeguards: daily 2-hour limits, 15-minute mandatory breaks, nighttime blocks from midnight to 6 AM, and no notifications during school hours. Enhanced age verification, better controls for harmful content like bullying and self-harm, upgraded parental tools, and restrictions on beauty filters and like counts are all part of the five-year plan. If other platforms like TikTok and Snapchat adopt similar rules, daily limits could shrink to just 60 minutes — and an independent auditor will ensure Meta follows through. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c77b8555a72b6246