NH And Maine Set To Receive Millions In Meta Settlement

New Hampshire is set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from Facebook’s parent company after the state joined dozens of others including Maine in claiming that the company’s products hurt young users.

Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion in a settlement, cutting short a trial over how the company’s social media platforms are designed.

New Hampshire is named as one of the settling states. Attorneys general from across the country, including New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, signed onto the settlement Tuesday.

In a news conference yesterday, Formella said New Hampshire will receive up to $224 million paid in 10 equal installments. Court documents said the money is intended for consumer protection enforcement and consumer education.

Included in the settlement is an agreement for Meta to add more safety measures, including daily time limits and stronger parental controls

Dozens of states filed the joint lawsuit in 2023, with others joining later. The lawsuit alleged that Meta’s social media products, including Facebook and Instagram, were built to harm mental health.

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has announced that Maine will receive at least 56 million dollars from Meta.   In a statement, Frey said that Meta is agreeing to “measures designed to ensure that children under 13 are not on its platforms.”