Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and introduce new restrictions on Instagram and Facebook after facing allegations that the platforms caused addiction, according to a report from Mexican newspaper La Jornada.
The settlement and the planned curbs on the two social networks were announced on Thursday, August 27, 2026. La Jornada reports that the measures are part of an agreement reached in the United States, though the specific plaintiffs or court involved were not detailed in the available summary.
The restrictions will reportedly include a nighttime block on access for minors, along with other protective measures aimed at younger users, according to coverage from Univision. The exact scope of the block—such as the hours it will apply or how it will be enforced—has not been specified in the reporting.
The agreement has drawn attention from regulators outside the U.S. The European Union issued a statement expressing hope that, following the U.S. deal, Meta would extend similar protections to children in Europe, as reported by Yahoo Finanzas. The EU's comment suggests a broader concern about the company's global approach to youth safety.
The $17 billion figure marks one of the larger settlements involving a major tech firm over platform design and user well-being. La Jornada's report frames the payment as a direct response to claims that the apps were engineered in ways that fostered addictive behavior.
Commentary from El Economista, cited in the summary, also raised the topic of digital childhood, indicating that the case has sparked wider discussion about how young people interact with online services.
What to watch next: whether Meta applies the same restrictions outside the U.S. and how the EU responds to its call for equivalent protections.
