Florida declined to join the multistate agreement Meta reached over claims that its social media platforms harmed children. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said the amount of money involved is far too small to seriously hold the company accountable.
Rather than signing onto the deal accepted by most states, Florida intends to pursue its own case over the effects of Instagram and Facebook on young users.
Here's what to know
The agreement Meta reached with dozens of states wrapped up a major legal battle over accusations that Instagram and Facebook were built in ways that could hook children. NBC Miami reported that the deal could total $18 billion and requires child-safety protections on the platforms.
New Mexico was the only other state that stayed out of the settlement, as it had already reached a separate deal with the company. Uthmeier argued that Meta with its size and resources should face tougher consequences, especially given allegations that its products damaged kids' mental health.
"This is a trillion and a half dollar company," he said during an unrelated news conference, per NBC Miami. "This is a rounding error for them. ... Weeks of revenue. That's peanuts. That's not sending a message."
We aren't selling out when it comes to protecting kids in Florida. https://t.co/FFTM449vKB
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) August 27, 2026
The settlement also ended a Tennessee trial against Meta. "We took Meta to trial because Instagram was hurting kids and misleading parents. Now we're ending the trial with a settlement that imposes unprecedented protections for kids and delivers record-setting money for Tennessee's Children's Digital Protection Fund," Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said, per NBC Miami.
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More background
The federal case in Oakland, California, ended before what had been expected to be a six-week trial. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was among the potential witnesses, and the plaintiffs were California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, with the case stemming from a broader 2023 lawsuit filed by dozens of states.
Florida's position differs from those of other states. In New Mexico, a jury found that the company committed thousands of violations tied to harm to children and concerns over child sexual exploitation. That case resulted in a $375 million penalty, and a judge ordered Meta to pay another $567 million as well as implement safety measures including monthly time limits for users under 18 and warning notices.
Hundreds of school districts have sued major social media companies as well, arguing that they were left to absorb the costs of students' mental health struggles linked to social media addiction.
An individual plaintiff known as KGM also won a first-of-its-kind case, as a jury found Meta and YouTube liable and awarded $6 million in damages after hearing testimony that social media addiction worsened her mental health as a child.
What's being done?
The multistate settlement is meant to change how Meta operates its platforms, while the New Mexico rulings show that courts may also impose specific restrictions when they find that young users were not adequately protected.
Other cases are still moving forward. Florida says it plans to file its own lawsuit rather than accept the settlement, and Meta and YouTube are appealing the KGM verdict.
Parents and school districts may be left to cover the costs of counseling, intervention, and other support.
"We will not sell out when it comes to our kids," Uthmeier said, per NBC Miami. "They need to take this seriously. If they're going to treat it like a joke, like an insult, then they're going to have to fight. We got the best dang legal team in the country. We will see them in court."
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