Why federal addiction programs keep underperforming

America just put an extraordinary price tag on a form of addiction that does not come in a bottle, pill, or syringe.

Meta has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion in a multistate settlement resolving claims that features of Instagram and Facebook encouraged compulsive use among children and contributed to mental health harms. A separate Texas agreement brings Meta’s total payout to roughly $18 billion. The company denies wrongdoing. The settlement also imposes striking behavioral safeguards, including a two-hour daily limit for minors, nighttime restrictions, and limits on notifications during school hours.