Missouri to receive at least $100 million in Meta settlement

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The State of Missouri is set to receive millions of dollars as part of a $17.1 billion settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc.

According to a news release from Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, Missouri will receive between $100 million and $150 million. 

“As a mother, I know how critical it is to shield kids from predators, addictive material, and content that harms their mental health," Hanaway said in a statement.

Along with resolving claims in 47 states, the settlement also requires Meta to add new safety features for children's Instagram and Facebook accounts.

These features include:

• Mandatory "Productive Pauses" to break up 15 minutes of endless social media use. This will repeat at 60 and 90 minutes.
• "Nighttime blocks" to restrict access from midnight to 6 a.m.
• Limiting push notifications on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the school year.
• Extensive age verification measures
• Stronger parental and content controls, limiting content that may promote eating disorders or self-harm
• Limits on features like beauty filters and "like" counts

"Meta’s willingness to acknowledge the harm and take meaningful corrective action is an important step forward for the safety of children across the country," Hanaway said in a statement.

The lawsuit began in 2021 when states began to investigate the social media industry, claiming major companies knew of the harm social media causes. Meta did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

This is an ongoing story.