South Dakota is set to receive at least $52,612,676 from Meta under a multistate settlement, with payments spread over 10 years. The state could receive as much as $73,480,057, but the additional money depends on conditions that may not occur. The settlement resolves allegations about Facebook and Instagram's effects on children and teens. Meta denies liability.
Official resources:
- official release — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- official release — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- What South Dakota is scheduled to receive
- When will Meta make the payments?
- Why the extra money is uncertain
- What Meta must change
- Do South Dakota residents receive checks?
What South Dakota is scheduled to receive
The guaranteed amount includes 10 annual installments of $4,841,598.67 and a separate $4,196,688.69 allocation tied to the Cambridge Analytica matter, according to the signed settlement agreement filed in U.S. District Court. south Dakota is also scheduled for 10 contingent installments of $2,086,738.18 each.
If all conditions are met, those payments would raise the state's potential recovery to $73,480,057, the South Dakota Attorney General's Office said. The guaranteed payments and Cambridge Analytica allocation make up the minimum figure. The contingent installments account for the difference between the minimum and maximum totals.
When will Meta make the payments?
meta's first guaranteed payment is due within 30 days after the settlement becomes effective. Later payments are due each January 15.
The agreement also says payments cannot begin for a state until its consent judgment is entered. That means the schedule depends on the required court entry for South Dakota. The agreement sets payments over 10 years rather than providing the state with one lump sum.
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Why the extra money is uncertain
The additional $20,867,381.80 depends on other major social-media platforms adopting comparable teen-safety obligations and making matching monetary commitments. The settlement specifically ties the contingent money to Snap, TikTok and YouTube adopting qualifying protections.
If the required conditions are not met, Meta keeps the contingent payments. Readers should therefore treat $52,612,676 as the documented minimum, not assume that South Dakota will receive the full $73,480,057.
What Meta must change
The settlement requires Meta to adopt child- and teen-safety measures on Instagram and Facebook. According to the Maine Attorney General's announcement, the measures include: These requirements are intended to change how the platforms operate for young users. They do not turn the settlement into an individual compensation program.
- A combined two-hour daily limit
- Nighttime access blocks
- Fewer notifications during school hours
- Age-assurance measures
- Stronger parental controls
Do South Dakota residents receive checks?
No automatic checks or individual claims process are created by the settlement. South Dakota's payments will go to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Fund, which may be used for lawful purposes at the attorney general's discretion.
The settlement addresses allegations that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram with addictive features, exposed young users to serious mental harms, misled the public about platform safety and collected data from children under 13. Meta denies liability, so the agreement does not establish those allegations as proven facts.
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