Additional link from another source
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/26/meta-kids-safety-features-settlement-01050418
“up to” over 10 years, which means they’ll pay 1.8B this year, a massive 3% of annual income, for now and find a way to get out of this before the decade is up
And no user will see a nickel
Where does the money go? Tax revenue? Is that how we’re making the rich pay their share? I didn’t violate any laws, but I still pay taxes and they should too — for the same reasons.
Lawyers take their cut off the top.
I think you mean lawyers takes the entire cake, and leave the crumbs for the rest.
35% to the lawyers
15% to court, state, lawyer administrative costs
40% to Governor’s cousin’s LLC established since last Tuesday specializing in child online safety issues according to their website which goes on to read “would you like me to create promotional flyers and other materials in addition to the website”?
15% nobody can trace where it went - but did you know BOYS are playing GIRL sports?!
25% to a program that passively encourages risky online behavior
20% to pro-business tax breaks
That’s right taxpayer, you’re gonna need to chip in for the extra 50%.
To be paid out over 10 years, across almost every state. Just drops in an ocean.
Cost of doing business. Legal for a fee. Etc etc.
Cost of doing business
Cost of doing business.
It is now “official” that meta harms children and yet hundreds of people keep upvoting meta content here on lemmy
Don’t let them settle! Slay the beast!
Who are they paying this money to? Who’s getting rich this time?
So they are going to stop… right!?
Where does this money go? To lawyers? Government? Won’t be going to the public
Who gets the money? Is it enough to disincentives future abuses? Is the abuse still happening? Can they be trusted to not cause such abuses again?
Pump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers!
Meta maintained throughout the brief trial that it had worked extensively over the years to make its platforms safer for its youngest users, pouring resources into testing and research, and building new features.
No, you’ve made it a pain in the ass process to delete a facebook account. I’ve counted, you have to go through almost 5 prompts to finally delete an account. It’s simpler on mobile, by about 2 extra steps shorter, but that indicates that no, you did not work extensively to make it safe if you can’t make deleting easier.
IANAL, but doesn’t settlement mean they don’t admit fault, they have no judgement to actually force changes, and the same case can’t be brought again, aka, they get to keep harming kids, just have to cough up some tiny slice of profit and offer some lip service to doing better? Or, to rephrase, as long as the government gets a cut, they can keep abusing?
Thats correct. So basically good for the company and the lawyers. Sometimes its the best option but in this case, just means they can do it again.
I worked for a security company that has stolen wages and has settled out of court 4 separate times. They will likely continue to do so.
Settlements usually come with enforceable changes. If they continue the same practices, they can be sued again. In such a case, the penalties will likely be established ahead of time in the settlement and will be significantly harsher for the repeat offense.
the ultra rich are evil by default, they couldn’t get to that level of wealth by caring about humanity.
It’s a start.
Like all anti-corporate settlements, it is ridiculously favorable to the abuser.
