Texas AG Paxton Announces $1 Billion-Plus Meta Settlement With New Child Safety Rules

AUSTIN, TX — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Wednesday that Meta Platforms Inc. will pay the state more than $1 billion and adopt new safeguards for children using its platforms as part of a settlement. 

The agreement requires Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to implement stricter age-assurance measures and a default daily two-hour time limit for teen users. Notifications will be turned off by default during school hours unless a parent changes the setting. Likes and reactions will be hidden by default to reduce social comparison. 

Meta will also introduce a nighttime mode that restricts notifications and other features for children during certain hours, while continuing limits on age-inappropriate content and tools for parental supervision. 

“This is a historic settlement and a major win for the safety of Texas children,” Paxton said in a statement. “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. 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.” 

The payment will fund youth mental health services, crisis resources, digital literacy programs, after-school initiatives and grants for Texas schools. Paxton said the deal is the third settlement of more than $1 billion he has reached with major technology companies. 

He previously secured a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over its collection and use of facial recognition data and a $1.375 billion settlement with Google over alleged privacy violations. 

Paxton is scheduled to go to trial against TikTok in the fall as part of ongoing efforts to address child safety online. The Texas settlement is separate from a larger multi-state agreement Meta reached the same day with dozens of other states.