A federal judge in Oakland, California, approved Meta Platforms' settlement on August 26, requiring up to approximately $18 billion in payments over 10 years and sweeping child-safety reforms on Facebook and Instagram. The agreement resolves claims by 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories that Meta engineered addictive features targeting young users, and includes a baseline payment of about $12.7 billion, with a further $5.3 billion contingent on TikTok and YouTube reaching comparable settlements and implementing similar teen protections. The reforms include two-hour daily limits, midnight-to-6 a.m. access blocks, school-mode restrictions, adjusted notifications, stronger age verification and expanded parental controls. After the approval, Meta launched paid advertisements on its platforms and in print newspapers urging TikTok and YouTube to join what it called a new industry standard. Public-relations consultants said the campaign could pressure rivals and preserve Meta's perceived leadership, but warned it could appear self-serving or backfire amid existing criticism of the company.