Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Meta, the world’s biggest social media company, reached a multibillion-dollar legal settlement on Wednesday over claims that its technology was addictive to children.
The company agreed to impose major changes to how minors use its products.
Cecilia Kang, a technology reporter for The New York Times, explains why a company that almost never backs down finally cut a deal, and whether this will start a new era of accountability for Big Tech.
Guest: Cecilia Kang (nytimes.com/by/cecilia-kang) , a reporter covering technology and regulatory policy for The New York Times.
Background reading:
• Meta will pay up to $17.1 billion (nytimes.com/2026/08/26/technology/meta-settlement-social-media-addiction-lawsuit.html) over claims of social media addiction.
• A movement to restrict social media for children has taken hold globally (nytimes.com/2026/08/26/world/americas/children-social-media-restrictions-global-movement-meta.html) .
Photo: Jason Henry for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily (nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily) . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts (nytimes.com/podcasts) or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Meta, the world’s biggest social media company, reached a multibillion-dollar legal settlement on Wednesday over claims that its technology was addictive to children.
The company agreed to impose major changes to how minors use its products.
Cecilia Kang, a technology reporter for The New York Times, explains why a company that almost never backs down finally cut a deal, and whether this will start a new era of accountability for Big Tech.
Guest: Cecilia Kang (nytimes.com/by/cecilia-kang) , a reporter covering technology and regulatory policy for The New York Times.
Background reading:
• Meta will pay up to $17.1 billion (nytimes.com/2026/08/26/technology/meta-settlement-social-media-addiction-lawsuit.html) over claims of social media addiction.
• A movement to restrict social media for children has taken hold globally (nytimes.com/2026/08/26/world/americas/children-social-media-restrictions-global-movement-meta.html) .
Photo: Jason Henry for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily (nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily) . Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts (nytimes.com/podcasts) or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
