How Meta will pull off massive changes to its social media apps

Meta's landmark settlement in its child safety trial will precipitate the most significant change to its social media platforms for teen users ever. The social media giant's settlement with more than 40 states plus the District of Columbia and multiple territories, includes up to $17 billion in payments over 10 years, changes to the apps for teens and stricter age assurances."It's the highest amount of money ever paid in a case like this," California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the trial, told CNBC in an interview after the settlement. "And $17 billion can do a lot of good to prevent and remediate mental health harms for kids."Perhaps even more meaningful for Meta, which generated $201 billion in revenue last year, it must implement a range of product changes for users ages 13-17. The list includes a two-hour default limit for time spent on its app, blocking the apps between midnight and 6 a.m., and muting notifications during school hours. Teen users will also have likes hidden, cosmetic filters disabled, and the option to control autoplay of videos as well as the ability to opt for a non-algorithmic feed.Meta said it'll roll out many of the default protections in the next...