JONATHAN TURLEY: Social media addiction will easily outlast Meta's massive multibillion dollar settlement

It is not every day that a company can settle a case for over $17 billion and celebrate.However, Meta’s proposed settlement of claims brought by a coalition originally led by 29 states on Wednesday is a remarkably good deal for a company facing potential penalties that Meta estimated could reach $1.4 trillion and years of litigation.

In the end, the company may not even take a loss from the litigation.The proposed settlement ends the states’ federal case (but not the wider wave of litigation), following similar settlements in tobacco, opiates, and other products.It will require Meta to make changes to its platform, though the company has already appeared to be moving to make such changes.The maximum payment of closer to $17.1 billion is tied to whether other social media companies, TikTok and YouTube, for example, adopt parallel protections for children.

Otherwise, the company is on the hook for at least $12.1 billion over 10 years under the agreement.META SETTLES FEDERAL TRIAL OVER CLAIMS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM ADDICT CHILDRENThe company agreed to proposed settlement terms that would impose daily time limits for underage users, "nighttime blocks" from midnight to 6 a.m., and notifications linked to school hours.Social media remains one of the most transformative inventions in history, including as a powerful tool for free speech and political discourse.That popularity comes at a price. It is doubtful that these "fixes" will actually fix the problem.

Social media is enormously popular with adults and children alike.It is also ubiquitous and accessible, particularly for tech-savvy kids.

The burden will remain with parents regarding access to and use of social media, not the company.Meta was looking at a long slog in the courts.Some of us were skeptical of the legal basis for some of these claims.

The line between a popular and an "addictive" product is fairly subjective.It was hard to see where the line would have been drawn in this litigation.

However, Meta ...