Attorney General Ken Paxton secured over $1 billion as part of a historic settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. (“Meta”) to protect Texas children online. In addition to the monetary payment, the settlement requires Meta to implement significant new safeguards to better protect children on its platforms.
“This is a historic settlement and a major win for the safety of Texas children. Not only will Meta pay over $1 billion to Texas, but the company will also implement significant new safety features to better protect children’s precious minds and well-being on its platforms,” said Attorney General Paxton. “It is my mission to fundamentally change and strengthen the standards for child safety online, and this settlement is a major step forward in the fight to ensure our kids are protected online.”
Attorney General Paxton has secured a settlement that fundamentally changes the way Meta is required to protect children on its platforms and sets a new standard for the technology industry. Meta will pay over $1 billion to the State of Texas, funding remediation efforts including youth mental health services, crisis resources, digital literacy initiatives, after-school programs, and grants for Texas schools. Among other things, Meta will be required to implement stricter age-assurance measures and a daily two-hour limit for teen users. Notifications will be disabled by default during school hours unless changed by a parent. Likes and reactions on posts will be hidden by default to limit social comparison. Additionally, the company will roll out a nighttime access mode that by default restricts notifications and other features for children during certain nighttime hours, while continuing to limit age-inappropriate content and support parental supervision.
This is the third settlement worth over $1 billion that Attorney General Paxton has secured from Big Tech companies. He previously secured a historic $1.4 billion settlement with Meta for unlawfully collecting and using facial recognition data, as well as a $1.375 billion settlement with Google for violating Texans’ privacy rights.
Additionally, Attorney General Paxton is scheduled to go to trial against TikTok in the fall of 2026 as part of his continuing fight to protect children online.
Article source and photo credit: Texas Attorney General
