Hawaii youth advocate on landmark Meta settlement
Hawaii is set to receive $76 million from a legal settlement with Meta, along with new limits on how kids use Facebook and Instagram — good news for youth mental health groups running on thin budgets.
- Meta will cap daily use at two hours, block access from midnight to 6 a.m., pause endless scrolling, and stop alerts during school hours.
- The $76 million going to Hawaii is not tied to any specific program, so how it gets spent is still open.
- Youth advocates want it aimed at early learning, mental health services, and prevention programs like a teen-staffed suicide hotline on Maui.
- Between one in four and one in six teens in Hawaii have seriously considered suicide, and social media is linked to worse mental health.
- Federal money for youth prevention work is shrinking, making the settlement funds more important.
Outlook: The spending decisions are the next fight, with the Hawaii Children's Action Network pushing for prevention and early-childhood programs.