Last week brought an important victory for parents and children across Nebraska and the country. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced a landmark multistate settlement requiring Meta Platforms, Inc. to pay up to $17.1 billion and make significant changes to the way Instagram and Facebook operate for children and teenagers. Nebraska will receive up to $201 million through the settlement. More importantly, the agreement requires changes intended to make these platforms safer for young people.

For years, parents have been expected to protect their children in a digital environment that changes faster than most families can reasonably keep up with. Social media companies have developed increasingly sophisticated ways to capture attention and keep users engaged, often without giving parents adequate information, control, or transparency. This settlement sends an important message: companies that build products used by millions of children must be accountable for how those products are designed and the consequences they create.

The agreement requires Meta to implement stronger protections on Instagram and Facebook, including time limits for children, mandatory breaks during extended use, restrictions during overnight and school hours, stronger age-assurance measures, improved parental controls, and additional safeguards intended to reduce exposure to harmful content and features. These changes give parents additional tools while placing greater responsibility on the companies operating these platforms.

This issue is not new to the Nebraska Legislature. In 2025, I introduced LB383, the Parental Rights in Social Media Act, because I believe parents, not technology companies, should have the primary role in decisions affecting their children online. LB383 requires age verification, parental consent before minors establish social-media accounts, and tools allowing parents to supervise certain account activity. The bill passed the Legislature overwhelmingly and was signed into law. Portions of the law are currently involved in a federal court challenge brought by NetChoice. A federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the age-verification and parental-consent requirements while the litigation continues, but allowed other parental oversight provisions to remain enforceable.

The Meta settlement reinforces why this conversation matters. Even as states work through legal and constitutional questions surrounding these policies, one of the world’s largest social-media companies is now being required to strengthen age protections, parental controls, time restrictions, and other safeguards for young users.

The challenge is also moving beyond traditional social media. I introduced LB1083, the Transparency in Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act, to address broader risks associated with advanced artificial intelligence systems, including risks to children and public safety. The proposal would have required greater transparency regarding how major AI companies test for and protect against serious risks created by increasingly powerful technology.

That work will continue through my interim study examining AI legislation and what additional protections Nebraska should consider. An upcoming roundtable will bring together experts and stakeholders to identify gaps, examine approaches being taken elsewhere, and discuss how Nebraska can protect families while allowing responsible innovation to continue.

Technology itself is not the enemy. Social media and artificial intelligence can provide tremendous benefits, but innovation cannot come at the expense of our children. Parents deserve meaningful tools, children deserve appropriate protections, and companies must be accountable for the products they create.

The Meta settlement is a significant victory and an important step forward. I commend Attorney General Hilgers and the attorneys general across the country who worked to secure stronger protections for children. Our work, however, is not finished. As technology continues to change, we must remain committed to protecting children, empowering parents, and ensuring accountability keeps pace with innovation.

Staying connected with the people of District 43 remains an important part of representing you. I encourage you to continue sharing your questions, concerns, and ideas with me or my office about how we can better protect children, support parents, and hold companies accountable. Your input helps guide my work in the Nebraska Legislature. Please note that my email address has changed to tanya.storer@leg. ne.gov Respectfully, Senator Tanya Storer