We failed our children on social media. AI is our last chance to get it right

Published October 2, 2026 11:00am ET



Meta recently agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion and fundamentally change how Facebook and Instagram operate for young users. The settlement followed years of mounting evidence, whistleblower disclosures, lawsuits, and testimony from families about the effects social media can have on children.

Among the changes Meta agreed to make are restrictions on endless scrolling, nighttime use, and notifications, along with stronger age verification and parental controls.

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