Regulation & enforcement

Meta's $17 Billion Settlement is a Bad Deal for Teens and All Social Media Users

Published September 1, 2026 · EFF Deeplinks

EFF criticizes Meta's multibillion-dollar settlement with dozens of state attorneys general, arguing that its terms would harm privacy rather than protect it. The group says the deal locks in age-verification and age-estimation systems that all users would have to pass through, imposes teen restrictions that can only be lifted by handing parents detailed data about a minor's online activity, and ultimately pushes Meta to gather and keep more information about young users. EFF also warns the content-restriction provisions could sweep in material about sexuality and reproductive health.

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