These days, children have no time without their mobile phones. Just like teenagers, so do small children. Some watch cartoons and some watch porn reels. And for them, social media has also become a way to spend a lot of time. And in this, some content that affects the mentality of children is also appearing on social media. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to pay a fine of up to $ 17.1 billion under a historic agreement and make major changes to its social media app. The company was accused of designing its social media platforms in such a way that it encouraged children and adolescents to stay on the app for a long time, that is, to run the app. Along with this, there were allegations of violating children’s privacy laws. The agreement was made with 47 states of the US, the District of Columbia and other territories.
Under the agreement, Meta will set limits on app usage time for young people and restrict features that are harmful to mental health. This could directly impact the company’s business model, which is to monetize ads by keeping users on the app for longer. Under the agreement, Meta will enforce stricter safety rules for users under 18. The biggest change is that the daily app usage time for teens will be limited to about two hours.
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In addition, there will be restrictions on app usage at night, that is, from around 12 am to 6 am. Notifications and some features will be limited or turned off during school hours so that children do not lose focus during school hours. Parents will also have more control over their children’s app use. Parents will be informed about how their children are using the platform and can change their settings. Age verification will also be tightened to prevent children under 13 from opening accounts without permission.
Meta will also reduce some features that encourage frequent use of the app. For example, steps will be taken to hide the number of ‘likes’ and limit beauty or cosmetic filters for teenagers. Companies will also be closely monitored to ensure that they are complying with the new rules. Dr. Johannes Thrull, associate professor of mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said that this is an important step. According to him, the rule is stricter than any other law on app design in the US so far. It includes features such as app blocks at night, daily usage time limits, and age verification.
Will reducing social media use improve teenagers’ mental health?
According to Dr. Thrull, this rule can have a positive impact on teenagers’ mental health. Especially when restrictions are placed on app use at night, children can get enough sleep. Lack of sleep is seen as a major factor in the relationship between social media use and mental health. Research also shows that reducing screen time and social media use can improve anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems, and emotional stress in adolescents. A 2025 study of 220 young people with mental health problems found that those who reduced their daily social media use to about an hour for three weeks saw significant improvements in their depression. Sleep was also improved. Similarly, a 2026 study found a significant reduction in feelings of loneliness among young people who reduced their daily social media usage by about 78 minutes.
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How harmful are features that keep users on apps for a long time?
According to experts, such features can make children addicted to apps and increase mental problems. Comparing themselves with others, seeing the number of ‘likes’ and notifications coming at night can have a negative impact on mental health. The American Psychological Association (APA) has also acknowledged that features such as ‘likes’, recommended content and endless scrolling can be dangerous for teenagers. A 2024 analysis of 143 studies involving more than a million teenagers found that the more social media users use, the higher the risk of depression.
Should companies be legally responsible for children’s mental health?
App design is a decision that companies make for themselves. If a company knows that a feature is causing stress among young people and still launches it, it could be considered a deliberate decision by the company. A 2025 review called for tighter government regulation of tech companies. It also suggested that companies should be fined if they fail to provide adequate protection for children. The research also shows that children and parents cannot be held solely responsible for the harm caused by social media. App design also influences users to stay on apps for longer.
