Meta Settlement Will Hide Post Reactions by Default for Users Under 18
In the United States, Meta has reached a settlement with states that will change Facebook and Instagram for minors. As part of new child safety protections, users under 18 will no longer see likes and other reactions on posts by…
Sioux Falls, SD, October 24, 2026 —
Meta has reached a settlement with states in the United States that will bring changes to Facebook and Instagram for users under 18. Under the child safety protections described in the settlement, likes and other reactions on posts will no longer be visible to those users by default.
The change addresses social comparison on social media, which the trend summary identifies as having an amplified psychological impact. The new default applies to users under 18, but the available information does not specify when the change will take effect or how users may adjust the setting.
The settlement was reached with states, but the states involved and the agreement’s full terms were not provided. The information also does not detail how the change will appear on Facebook or Instagram, whether it applies to every type of post, or whether it covers reactions in other parts of the platforms.
The announcement marks a change to the default experience for minors on both services. It does not establish, based on the information available, what other measures the settlement may include or how its effects will be assessed. No implementation schedule, enforcement details or statements from Meta or state officials were provided.
For now, the stated change is specific: users under 18 will no longer see likes and other reactions on posts by default as part of child safety protections tied to Meta’s settlement with states.
Story summarized from the original created by Ashwini Nadkarni on time.com, see more information here.
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