The settlement followed a landmark trial where states accused Meta of designing addictive features that contributed to mental health crises, including depression and disordered eating.
While the agreement forces Meta to implement new usage restrictions, Béjar—a key witness who previously testified that CEO Mark Zuckerberg ignored safety warnings—likened the deal to setting time limits on smoking rather than making the product itself safer.
The settlement matters because it mandates structural changes to how millions of minors interact with Instagram and Facebook.
Under the terms, Meta must disable "social comparison" features like beauty filters and "likes" by default, while introducing a "night mode" and "school mode" to limit app access during specific hours.
However, Béjar argues that these measures fail to address the underlying infrastructure of the platforms.
He contends that the algorithmic design choices—the automated systems that determine what content users see—remain unchanged and continue to steer young users toward harmful material without independent oversight or auditing.
Moving forward, Meta must transition young users to non-algorithmic, chronological feeds by default and provide enhanced parental controls to revert personalized content settings.
Meta defended the settlement, pointing to existing protections and claiming the critic ignores the positive value social media provides to teens.
While state attorneys general have framed the deal as a significant victory, the lack of independent auditing remains a primary concern for safety advocates who believe the core mechanisms of social media addiction have not been fully dismantled.