Meta’s Settlement Ends One Big Battle But the Wider Legal War Looms

Meta Platforms has fought one of its biggest court battles to an expensive draw. But lawyers scrutinizing Wednesday’s $18 billion settlement agreement with states said it won’t likely help the social media giant in its wider legal war over claims that its products harm underage users.

The landmark agreement, pending approval by a judge, would end a sweeping lawsuit by attorneys general from 52 states and territories in the U.S. over child-harm allegations, and conclude one of one of the largest regulatory actions targeting a tech company to date.

It also could have broader implications in shaping how companies and regulators think about the legal responsibilities of not only social media platforms but the companies deploying AI chatbots and other services that critics have warned risk harming children.