How Meta’s $17.1 Billion Social Media Settlement Came Together NYT > Top Stories By: Cecilia Kang and Eli Tan 29 August 2026 at 12:02 State attorneys general spent months in negotiations. Then, as its legal losses mounted, the social media giant’s new top lawyer brought a huge settlement to the table. © Jason Henry for The New York TimesMeta’s $17.1 billion agreement with states followed losses in court over claims that the social media is addictive and harmful to children.