Tech policy expert Clare Morell joins 'Fox & Friends' to analyze the impact of Meta's youth addiction settlement, which mandates a two-hour daily limit for Facebook and Instagram users under 18. The historic agreement blocks apps from midnight to 6 a.m. and silences school-hour notifications.
If you have ever asked a teenager to put down a phone and heard, "Just one more minute," you already know how hard screen limits can be to enforce.
Now Meta has agreed to a sweeping child-safety settlement that could reshape how teens use Facebook and Instagram across much of the United States.
A judge approved the agreement on Aug. 27. Under the deal, Meta will put a default two-hour daily cap on teen use of Facebook and Instagram combined. It will also restrict most app access overnight. Meanwhile, parents will get stronger control over settings teens may want to change.
The agreement goes well beyond a screen time reminder. Here's what will change, how the limits work, what Meta told CyberGuy and what parents can do now.
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TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME MAY TRIGGER LASTING BRAIN DELAYS, TOP HEALTH OFFICIAL WARNS
Meta says teen accounts will continue using age-appropriate content settings while the company strengthens protections for younger users. (Meta)
With the judge's approval, the agreement is now in effect, but the new protections will roll out over the coming months. Most of the major requirements have a six-month compliance deadline, while some features are due sooner. Here's how the biggest changes break down for teens and parents.
Meta will apply a default two-hour daily limit across Facebook and Instagram combined. Time spent scrolling on either app counts toward the total. In addition, Meta says it will count usage across multiple accounts when it detects that one teen operates more than one account.
Direct messaging, time spent in settings and qualifying long-form audio or video are excluded from the two-hour limit. Under the agreement, qualifying long-form content generally means audio or video that lasts at least 22 minutes and has not been artificially extended.
A teen can only turn off the two-hour limit with a parent's permission. That creates a much firmer stopping point than another reminder that can be dismissed.
Meta already offers parental time-management tools on Instagram, while the proposed settlement would add a default two-hour daily limit across Facebook and Instagram. (Meta)
