Meta has agreed to pay up to $17bn to settle a lawsuit accusing it of creating addicting products that harm teenagers and children.

The case, which was brought by a number of US states, claimed Meta used its platforms “to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens.”

Meta admits no wrongdoing as part of the settlement but must now introduce a number of safety measures, including a two-hour daily time limit for teenagers, stronger parental controls, and restricted access for children during school hours.

The size of the settlement paid out by Meta – which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – was hailed as a “monumental public health victory” by District of Columbia attorney general Brian Schwalb, the BBC reported.

Schwalb said: “The safety features Meta is required to install will fundamentally and immediately change how young people use Instagram and Facebook.”

Other enforced features include a block on usage between midnight and 6am, tougher age verification systems for underage users and reminders after every 15 minutes of continuous use.

Meta claimed that the settlement would build on its “longstanding efforts to empower parents and support teens”, adding that the funds would be distributed in annual installments to be spent on youth online safety initiatives.

Meta also called on other social platforms, including YouTube and TikTok, to adopt similar restrictions that would “ensure teens use social media in a healthy and responsible way”.

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