North Carolina Received First $45 Million Meta Payment

The state secured an initial payout as part of a $17.1 billion multistate settlement over child safety protections.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Internet

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing a stylized stone plinth in a calm landscape, evoking institutional regulatory settlements. — North Carolina has received its initial $45 million payment from Meta, the first installment of a $451 million multistate child safety settlement. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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North Carolina has received an initial $45 million payment from Meta, marking the first stage of a settlement guaranteed to provide the state with at least $451 million. The funds follow a federal lawsuit joined by North Carolina in October 2023 against the platform operator.

Why it matters

The settlement forces structural changes to Instagram and Facebook to address child safety concerns, including mandatory age verification and usage limits. It resolves litigation from 47 states and the District of Columbia regarding the impact of these platforms on minors.

Meta is required to implement specific platform restrictions, including nightly curfews and usage pauses at 15-minute and 60-minute intervals. The company must also set teen accounts to private by default and remove users under 13.

The players

The details

The settlement mandates that Meta overhaul its engagement mechanics to prioritize youth safety. This includes disabling push notifications during school hours and enforcing platform curfews to limit nighttime activity. Furthermore, Meta is required to implement age-determination systems to enforce the removal of users under 13 years old, ensuring teen accounts are set to private by default.

October 2023: North Carolina joined the federal lawsuit against Meta.
August 2026: South Carolina announced its participation in the multistate settlement.
October 1, 2026: North Carolina received the initial $45 million payment.

The Tech Race

This settlement follows the precedent set by the 2023 multistate federal lawsuit against Meta regarding youth safety. The agreement marks a major regulatory shift in how major social platforms must architect features for minor users across the industry.

Residents should expect to see platform-level changes for teen accounts, including mandatory private settings and disabled notifications during school hours. While the funds have been received, the legislature will decide if these resources support local digital safety programs or other initiatives.

The takeaway

North Carolina now holds the first installment of a $451 million guaranteed total as part of this landmark agreement. Residents should watch the State General Assembly in the coming sessions to see how the $45 million is integrated into the state budget.