SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV ) — Meta Platforms has agreed to an $18 billion settlement with California and other states over claims that its social media platforms harmed children and teens.

The settlement covers 29 states involved in the lawsuit. Meta also said the agreement involves 52 state attorneys general nationwide. However, a judge must approve the deal before it takes effect.

Meta denied the allegations and said the settlement does not mean it accepts liability.

Under the agreement, Meta will make major changes to teen accounts. For example, Facebook and Instagram accounts for teens will default to a two-hour daily limit across both platforms.

Teens will need permission from a parent to turn off the limit. In addition, Meta will block nighttime use for teenage users.

The company will also strengthen age checks. These measures aim to stop children from accessing its platforms and age-restricted content. It will hide likes on teens’ posts by default. It will also block what it calls extreme makeup filters.

Furthermore, teens will have more control over their feeds. They will be able to choose a non-algorithmic feed as their default option. That means Meta will not personalize the feed through its recommendation systems.

Teens will also have the option to turn off autoplay videos.

The settlement also calls for new tools for parents and guardians. These tools will help families manage how children use Facebook and Instagram.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the lawsuit, said the agreement will make social media safer for children and families.

Bonta said Meta will make major changes within months. He also said the changes could reduce risks linked to the company’s platforms.

Meta Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney offered a similar focus on parental control. He said the agreement will make it easier for parents to manage their children’s access to Meta’s services.

Meta also urged TikTok and YouTube to adopt similar protections. Mahoney said teens often use many social media apps, so one company’s changes may not solve the wider problem.

The lawsuit began after attorneys general from states including California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey accused Meta of designing its platforms to encourage addictive use.

The states also accused Meta of violating federal privacy and consumer protection laws. They argued that Facebook and Instagram contributed to growing mental health problems among children and teens.

Meta rejected those claims. The company argued that the states focused on certain platform features while ignoring safety measures already available to young users.

Those measures include private teen accounts, time-limit reminders, and parental supervision tools. Meta also restricts who can contact teens and what content they can view.

The settlement comes as Meta faces several other cases involving child safety and social media use.

In March, a New Mexico jury and judge ordered Meta to pay more than $900 million after the state’s attorney general argued that its platforms created a public nuisance.

California also has another case involving Meta and Google. A state court found the companies liable after a young woman said their products contributed to her declining mental health.

Other social media companies have settled some similar cases. Meta, however, continued to fight several claims in court.