Meta, Under Duress, Finally Does the Right Thing for Teens

Finally, what some said could never be done has happened: Meta Platforms Inc. has been forced to make real changes to protect the millions of young people who use its products. Make no mistake, while the amount that the company agreed to pay to settle a lawsuit brought by several states — up to $18 billion — is large, it is dwarfed in significance by the long-tail positive effects this so-called Big Tobacco moment will have on the well-being of teens. Meta's simultaneous call that other social media apps be compelled to follow its lead may seem opportunistic, but it's also entirely fair.