The Meta settlement ($12.7 billion over 10 years) is tiny for a company with $200 billion in annual revenue.

Social media use is not the biggest reason for kids' mental health problems.

The settlement terms are more performative than effective.

Kids need help learning to be mindful tech consumers, in the context of healthy balance in real life.

My initial response to the recent Meta settlement was relief that kids were finally being protected from intentional harms from corporate America, but a deeper investigation and a bit of reflection suggest that it’s too soon to relax. Meta stock prices actually rose on the news of the $17.1 billion price tag, to be paid over 10 years. Market analysts had expected a longer and more contentious federal trial and much bigger penalties.

The Settlement Is a Drop in the Bucket for Meta

To begin with, it’s not really a big beautiful $18 billion payout for Meta, as was widely reported. It’s more like $12.7 billion to be paid out over 10 years. Not such a big deal for a company that declared an annual revenue of $200 billion in 2025, and that’s been convicted of design........

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