The United Nations has called for broader child-safe design standards across the social media industry following a landmark settlement involving Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The tech giant agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion to a coalition of U.S. states and to implement new restrictions on teenage users within certain states as part of a settlement announced this week.

The agreement resolves claims brought by 29 states alleging that Meta deliberately engineered its platforms to attract and retain young users, misrepresented the associated risks, and unlawfully collected data from children under 13. Initially, 51 states and territories plus the District of Columbia had reached settlements with Meta, while Texas negotiated separate terms. Collectively, these settlements brought the total payout close to $18 billion.

Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, emphasized that children should not have to rely on litigation to secure safe online environments. He noted that the design changes Meta plans to implement align with calls from his office but stressed that these measures are insufficient unless adopted industry-wide. Turk urged governments to take a more active role rather than waiting for court rulings or company initiatives.

Earlier this year, Turk underscored the need for comprehensive approaches including enhanced design, data protection, regulation, oversight, and accountability to safeguard children online. He warned that relying solely on age restrictions fails to address the underlying platform designs and algorithms that contribute to unsafe experiences. Moreover, Turk cautioned that such restrictions may be easily bypassed and could inadvertently push children toward less supervised and potentially more hazardous platforms.

The U.N. human rights office has developed a set of 10 guidelines titled “Getting Children’s Safety Online Right,” which advocates for default maximum protection of children's data and prohibits the micro-targeting of children for commercial purposes based on their digital profiles. The guidelines also suggest that emerging concerns—such as the use of artificial intelligence chatbots and addictive design elements—may justify age restrictions but stress that measures should be backed by independent oversight and legal deterrents. Additionally, they call for accessible remedies for children whose rights are violated online.

Peggy Hicks, thematic and special procedures director at the U.N. human rights office, stated in a May press briefing that technology companies are now faced with a clear choice: either proactively redesign their platforms to better protect children’s rights and safety or face increasingly stringent legislation, judicial rulings, and regulatory penalties.