Meta Agrees to Stricter US Teen Safety Rules: What to Know
Meta has reached a landmark agreement with 52 bipartisan U.S. state attorneys general to roll out stronger protections and enhanced parental controls for teenage users across its social media platforms.
The agreement was announced in a statement on Wednesday by Meta’s Chief Legal Officer, Curtis Mahoney.
Under the new framework, parents will gain greater oversight over their children’s social media usage, supported by features designed to curb excessive and inappropriate online habits. Key commitments include enforced time limits, mandatory “night mode” features, and restrictions on social media activity during school hours.
According to Mahoney, the initiative aims to give families more authority while promoting healthier digital behaviors among teens. However, he emphasized that protecting young people requires more than just platform-specific tools.
“As a parent, I am proud of both the work Meta has done to protect kids historically, and of this new groundbreaking agreement,” Mahoney said.
Because teenagers frequently shift between various apps, Mahoney called on major competitors specifically TikTok and YouTube to adopt identical safeguards, creating an industry-wide standard across platforms. He noted that the true effectiveness of the agreement depends on broader industry adoption.
To guarantee accountability, Meta’s commitments will undergo independent annual audits for five years. The findings will be submitted directly to participating states to ensure the promises lead to concrete changes rather than remaining high-level policy goals.
The deal spans 52 jurisdictions, including U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia covering major states like California, New York, Texas, Washington, and Alabama.
Meta stated it will continue collaborating with parents, regulators, and policymakers globally to refine its safety protocols and create a safer online ecosystem for young users.
