Ohio is set to receive more than $319 million over ten years under a proposed multistate settlement with Meta. An independent auditor will monitor Meta's compliance with youth-safety reforms on Instagram and Facebook. The agreement is a multistate settlement, meaning one negotiated deal resolves related claims brought by many states together.
According to the Ohio Attorney General, Attorney General Andy Wilson announced the deal on Aug. 26, 2026, as described in the Attorney General's August announcement. Ohio's share would arrive in annual installments across a decade.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Ohioattorneygeneral — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the original report from 111Things — Use this primary source to review the complete report.
Table of Contents
- What claims does the settlement resolve
- What changes for teen accounts
- How will auditor oversight work
- Will Ohio residents receive a payment
What claims does the settlement resolve
The settlement resolves claims that Meta built addictive engagement features and exposed children and teens to mental harms. It also resolves claims that Meta misled the public about safety and violated COPPA, the federal law limiting data collection from children under 13, by collecting under-13 data.
The deal covers a bipartisan coalition of 52 state, D.C., and territorial attorneys general, according to American Banking News reporting. The national agreement contemplates up to $17.1 billion paid over ten years. Ohio's expected share exceeds $319 million.
What changes for teen accounts
Affected users are Instagram and Facebook users under 18. According to a DigitalSolucen summary, the proposed defaults include stricter limits for those accounts, detailed in a summary of the proposed teen-account defaults.
Parents should check the settings on each teen account after the changes take effect. Teens using shared devices may need separate logins for the defaults to apply correctly.
- Default two-hour daily limits
- Midnight-to-6 a.m. use blocks
- Limits on notifications during school hours
- Stronger age-assurance checks
- Hidden like counts for teen accounts
How will auditor oversight work
An independent auditor will monitor whether Meta follows the required safety changes. According to 111Things reporting on the proposed terms, the auditor will have broad access to relevant information, as noted in reporting on the proposed oversight terms.
The auditor will issue regular reports and can raise concerns directly with attorneys general. That structure gives Ohio and other states continuing visibility instead of relying only on Meta's own reports. It also creates a documented record if compliance disputes arise.
Will Ohio residents receive a payment
Ohio's $319 million is a state-level payment stream, not an individual check program described in the available materials. The money is expected over ten years, so budgeting and spending decisions will unfold gradually. Ohio families should expect stricter default teen settings on Meta apps.
State policymakers face pressure to publicly track how the settlement money is spent, according to Reason Foundation analysis. According to Psychiatric Times, the agreement remains proposed and requires judicial approval, as explained in an update on the settlement's approval status. Residents watching the funds should follow the Attorney General's office for the entered consent judgment and spending announcements.
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