Lawmakers urge federal online safety law despite Meta's $18B state settlement

Meta's proposed $18 billion settlement with 47 states and territories over social media harms to young users does not eliminate the need for federal legislation, according to Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal. They argue that the settlement's safety changes apply only to Facebook and Instagram, while a broader law like the Kids Online Safety Act would cover all platforms. The Senate Commerce Committee advanced KOSA earlier this month, but a floor vote has not been scheduled, and a competing House bill takes a different approach.

The proposed settlement would require Meta to implement age verification with third-party testing, removing accounts of users under 13 and applying restrictions to those under 18. Teen accounts would default to a night mode between midnight and 6 a.m., with push notifications blocked from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and a two-hour daily usage cap across Meta platforms.

The settlement also introduces a school mode limiting notifications during class hours. While the agreement covers only Facebook and Instagram, the competing federal bills differ in scope—KOSA includes a duty of care provision addressing compulsive use harms, while the House KIDS Act focuses on reasonable policies against violence, drug sales, and financial harm. The settlement awaits federal court approval.