Newsweek is reporting that Meta agreed to a $16.68 billion settlement with 47 states over child-safety claims, noting the company's stock rose 4.4 percent after the announcement. It said this reaction suggests the settlement is easily affordable for Meta, which reported $60.8 billion in revenue in the second quarter alone. The allegations claimed Meta engineered Instagram and Facebook features to hook teenagers, downplaying mental health impacts. Newsweek said Meta denies wrongdoing, but the deal mandates changes such as daily time caps for minors, nighttime notification blocks, stronger age checks and limits on social comparison features.
Newsweek's Anna Rahmanan argues that the public's focus on food dyes and additives may be distracting from greater risks within the modern food supply chain. It cited a Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce and salmonella-tainted jalapeños as examples of these overlooked dangers.
Newsweek is also reporting on President Donald Trump's efforts to rekindle his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which it said is complicated by America's long-standing alliance with South Korea. It characterized Trump's approach as an "unusual brand of diplomacy" that has previously seen success.
Separately, Newsweek features Sabrina Butler Smith, who became the first woman exonerated from death row in the United States. It said Smith, who was the youngest woman in Mississippi sentenced to death at the time, recounted her initial conviction for killing her baby, her successful appeal for a new trial and the role of an advocate in securing her freedom.
Finally, Newsweek reports that three Stars and Stripes journalists sued the Pentagon on Aug. 27 over alleged retaliatory dismissals. It said the lawsuit highlights the inherent contradiction of an independent newsroom covering an institution that controls its operational machinery, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth providing a "clear answer" on the matter.