Md. Monir Hossain Patwari, Reporter || Social media giant Meta has reached an $18 billion settlement with US states over concerns about the online safety and mental health of children and teenagers. The agreement will introduce a range of stricter restrictions for users under the age of 18 on Facebook and Instagram.The settlement was reached with the attorneys general of 52 US states and jurisdictions. Following a lengthy hearing at a district court in Oakland, a judge granted preliminary approval to the agreement, moving a high-profile legal case against Meta closer to resolution.Meta has not admitted to allegations that it deliberately misled users or designed its platforms to be addictive. However, the new rules are expected to remain in effect for 10 years following final court approval.Under-13 users to face stricter restrictionsOne of the key provisions of the settlement is to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram.Meta will strengthen its use of artificial intelligence and advanced age-detection technology to identify accounts belonging to younger children and automatically remove them.The measure is being introduced as part of efforts to protect children’s online privacy in the United States rather than as a blanket government ban on social media.Two-hour daily limit for teenagersThe agreement also introduces stricter measures to limit the amount of time teenagers spend on social media.Users under 18 will be allowed to spend a maximum of two hours a day on Facebook and Instagram. Teenagers will not be able to change the limit themselves and will require digital approval from a parent to do so.Their accounts will also be automatically restricted from midnight to 6am.To discourage continuous use, users will receive warnings every 15 minutes. Restrictions will also be placed on push notifications during school hours.Like counts and appearance filters to be restrictedThe settlement includes measures aimed at reducing the impact of social media on teenagers’ mental health.Meta will stop displaying the number of likes received on posts by users under 18. The company will also restrict the use of controversial and potentially misleading image filters linked to cosmetic surgery or changes to physical appearance.Teenagers will have the option of switching from algorithmically personalised feeds to a more basic feed.Meta will also be required to review at least 90 per cent of reported content within six hours, under the proposed rules.$12.7 billion to be paid over 10 yearsThe $18 billion settlement includes several conditions regarding payments.Around $12.7 billion will be paid to participating states over the next 10 years. The remaining $5.3 billion will depend on whether rival platforms TikTok and YouTube adopt similar measures.TikTok is not directly a party to the settlement, and the agreement does not include any decision to ban the platform.Meta has also called on other technology companies to take coordinated steps to create a safer digital environment for children and teenagers.