Meta has agreed to a sweeping child-safety settlement, approved by a US judge on 27 August, that will impose new default restrictions on how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram. The changes include a two-hour daily usage cap across both apps combined, restricted overnight access, and stronger parental controls, marking a significant shift from previous, easily dismissed screen-time reminders towards firmer, harder-to-bypass limits.

Under the deal, teens face a default two-hour combined daily limit on Facebook and Instagram, which can only be switched off with parental consent, while usage across multiple accounts held by the same teen will be tracked and combined. A "Night Mode" will block most app activity from midnight to 6am, though direct messaging remains available, and push notifications will be switched off by default overnight. A "School Mode" will mute most notifications on weekdays between 8am and 3pm during term time, and teens will receive screen-time prompts every 15 minutes, plus additional alerts at 60 and 90 minutes of use. Most of the requirements carry a six-month compliance deadline, with some features due sooner.