Opinion

JONATHAN TURLEY: Social media addiction will easily outlast Meta's massive multibillion-dollar settlement

Social media is enormously popular with adults and children alike. It is also ubiquitous and accessible

By Jonathan Turley Fox News

Published August 26, 2026 3:33pm EDT

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Jonathan Turley: Meta lawsuit settlement is 'seismic' but 'chump change' for tech giant

Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor, joins co-host Dana Perino to analyze Meta's 'seismic' $16.6 billion settlement of the landmark child harm lawsuit. Turley argues that while the settlement is massive, it represents 'chump change' for the tech giant. The agreement also mandates that Meta establish new security tools to protect teenage users online.

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It is not every day that a company can settle a case for over $17 billion and celebrate. However, Meta’s proposed settlement of claims brought by a coalition originally led by 29 states on Wednesday is a remarkably good deal for a company facing potential penalties that Meta estimated could reach $1.4 trillion and years of litigation. In the end, the company may not even take a loss from the litigation.

The proposed settlement ends the states’ federal case (but not the wider wave of litigation), following similar settlements in tobacco, opiates and other products. It will require Meta to make changes to its platform, though the company has already appeared to be moving to make such changes.

The maximum payment of closer to $17.1 billion is tied to whether other social media companies, TikTok and YouTube, for example, adopt parallel protections for children. Otherwise, the company is on the hook for at least $12.1 billion over 10 years under the agreement.

META SETTLES FEDERAL TRIAL OVER CLAIMS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM ADDICT CHILDREN

The company agreed to proposed settlement terms that would impose daily time limits for underage users, "nighttime blocks" from midnight to 6........

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