Meta caps teens at two hours a day across Facebook and Instagram
Evan / Policy and Open Source desk
The app will lock a teenager out after two hours, and only a parent can unlock it.
The settlement terms
On August 26, 2026, Meta settled child safety and social media addiction claims brought by 29 US states and territories for $18 billion paid over 10 years, and agreed to product changes that mostly have to stay in place for a decade. The specifics: a two-hour daily limit counted across Facebook and Instagram together, liftable only with parental permission; a night mode that blocks access entirely between midnight and 6 a.m.; notifications muted during school hours from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with direct messages and security alerts exempt; a prompt every 15 minutes of continuous use; like counts hidden by default; extreme makeup filters removed for teens; autoplay off unless deliberately switched on; and a chronological, non-personalized feed that a parent can set as the default experience. Independent auditors and the states will check whether the protections were actually shipped and whether they work.
Friction, engineered back in
For years the design language of these apps ran one direction, toward the next scroll, with every friction engineered out on purpose. This is the first time a company has been required to engineer friction back in at scale with an auditor attached. It also settles a long-running industry argument about whether time limits and chronological feeds are technically feasible. They were always feasible; they were a business decision, and for one age group they are now a legal obligation.
Sources
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