Meta Agrees to $18 Billion Payout to States Without Admitting Fault

Meta will pay $18 billion to settle claims from 48 states, Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories, while denying wrongdoing. The deal ends the states' legal claims with no admission of liability — meaning Meta accepts no legal blame. What matters next is how the money is divided and overseen, which will decide how much help reaches people.