PoliticsAlaska · August 31, 2026
your kid's phone changes
Alaska is getting at least $16 million from Meta, and your teenager's phone is about to work differently.
Daily Alaska staff · August 31, 2026
Alaska will receive at least $16 million from Meta Platforms as part of a $17.1 billion settlement resolving a 2023 lawsuit filed by 47 states, the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories in federal court in California. The suit alleged Meta designed addictive features into Instagram and Facebook, illegally collected children's data and misled the public about the platforms' risks to kids.
Alaska's guaranteed share is $16 million, paid out over ten years. That amount can rise to $23 million if TikTok and YouTube agree to the same terms Meta accepted. Meta is paying $12.7 billion up front, with another $4.4 billion tied to whether those competing platforms join the agreement.
The settlement changes how teen accounts on Instagram and Facebook work. A two hour daily time limit will be switched on by default. Notifications will be muted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days, and the apps will go dark from midnight to 6 a.m. Users will get a prompt after 15 minutes of continuous scrolling, an option to turn off the algorithm for a plain chronological feed, a way to disable autoplay, hidden like counts, and restrictions on cosmetic surgery and extreme makeup filters.
Acting Attorney General Cori Mills, a mother of two, called the settlement a relief and a historic moment. Governor Mike Dunleavy called it a necessary and imperative step.
None of the changes are in effect yet. The settlement still requires approval from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and Meta's full payment depends on TikTok and YouTube agreeing to the same terms.
In this story
Questions people ask
How much is Alaska getting from the Meta settlement?
At least $16 million paid out over ten years, rising to as much as $23 million if TikTok and YouTube agree to the same terms.
What changes are coming to teen Instagram and Facebook accounts?
Teen accounts get a two-hour daily default limit, muted notifications from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days, a midnight to 6 a.m. blackout, a prompt after 15 minutes of continuous use, an option for a non-algorithmic feed, disabled autoplay, hidden like counts, and restrictions on cosmetic surgery and extreme makeup filters.
When do these teen account changes take effect?
Not yet. The settlement still needs approval from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California before taking effect.
Who sued Meta and why?
47 states, the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories sued Meta in federal court in California in 2023 over child-safety design in Instagram and Facebook.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Alaska's guaranteed settlement share from Meta is $16 million paid out over ten years. · alaskapublic.org
- The settlement with Meta totals $17.1 billion. · alaskapublic.org
- Acting Attorney General Cori Mills called the settlement a relief and a historic moment. · alaskapublic.org
- Governor Mike Dunleavy called the settlement a necessary and imperative step. · alaskapublic.org
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →