Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced a $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. today, enforcing sweeping new safety reforms to protect American children on Instagram and Facebook.
Governor Lamont criticized social media companies, stating, "Social media is all too often anti-social. Tech companies have increasingly been taking advantage of kids, creating apps and algorithms that decrease their attention spans, drive them to become addicted, cause them to tune out real life, and harmfully impact their mental health and wellbeing." He added that the settlement is "long overdue" and requires strong protections.
Connecticut will receive $265.4 million from the settlement, with most funds directed to initiatives addressing youth harms from social media, such as mental health and crisis intervention, after-school programming, and implementing phone-free school zones. Governor Lamont also highlighted legislation he signed in June to protect residents from digital harms.
He expressed gratitude for Attorney General Tong's leadership in court on this issue and emphasized that "the best and strongest protections need to be enacted on a nationwide level" to ensure children's online safety.