The Texas Office of the Attorney General has secured more than $1 billion from Meta Platforms, Inc. in a settlement that also requires the social media company to build new safety limits into its platforms for young users. Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the agreement in an Aug. 26 news release.
The office described the deal as a historic settlement that fundamentally changes how Meta must protect children on its platforms and sets a new standard for the technology industry. The money will fund remediation efforts in Texas, including youth mental health services, crisis resources, digital literacy initiatives, after-school programs and grants for Texas schools, the office said.
Under the agreement, according to the release, Meta will be required to adopt stricter age-assurance measures and impose a daily two-hour limit for teen users. Notifications will be disabled by default during school hours unless a parent changes the setting, and likes and reactions on posts will be hidden by default to limit social comparison. The company will also 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, the agency said.
“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,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said.
“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,” Paxton said.
The agreement is the third settlement worth more than $1 billion that Paxton has secured from large technology companies, according to the release. The office previously reached a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over what it described as the unlawful collection and use of facial recognition data, and a $1.375 billion settlement with Google over violations of Texans’ privacy rights.
The release said Paxton is scheduled to go to trial against TikTok in the fall of 2026 as part of what the office called a continuing effort to protect children online.