Meta settlement opens new front in global fight over social media harm

Meta’s $18 billion settlement with nearly 50 U.S. states over alleged social-media harm to teenagers has intensified a wider global push for stricter youth protections online, Australian regulators said Thursday. The deal includes limits on how teens use Facebook and Instagram, such as a default two-hour daily time cap for users under 18. Australia has faced challenges enforcing its own world-first ban on social media for children under 16, with studies finding many minors kept accessing platforms months later due to weak age verification. Lawmakers have since raised fines and regulator powers, while Poland urged a €250 million EU fine on Meta.