The requested relief would change how minors experience the platforms rather than simply imposing financial penalties, according to the state's motion. Florida is seeking to compel Meta to identify and remove users under 14 from its platforms, limit teenage users to two hours of daily use across all Meta applications, and disable features such as autoplay and infinite scroll for younger users, according to court filings.
The action comes after Florida declined to join a multi-state settlement with Meta valued at up to $17 billion. Uthmeier described that agreement as a "weak payoff attempt" and said Florida would pursue stricter remedies through litigation [1]. A court has not yet ruled on Florida's injunction request, and Meta has signaled it will oppose the measures.
What Florida's Complaint Alleges
The state's complaint targets specific design features it says are engineered to hold teenagers' attention at the expense of their well-being. Among the features named in the filing are infinite scroll, autoplay video, push notifications, and algorithmic recommendations that determine what content each user sees. Florida alleges these mechanisms are built to maximize time spent on the platforms.
The state's motion cites internal Meta communications, including messages that reportedly describe Instagram as "a drug" and state that the company was "basically pushers" [2].
A separate federal complaint filed by Florida alleged that Meta's features were designed to capture users' attention, increase advertising exposure, and collect monetizable interaction data. That characterization reflects the state's allegations, not a judicial finding.
Relief Sought and Legal Theory
Florida is asking the court to order structural changes to the engagement-driving features named in the complaint, according to the state's requested relief.
The filing additionally requests that Meta be required to provide quarterly court reports on the estimated number of underage users on its platforms [3].
Florida's legal theory invokes the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive business practices, and the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA, according to the complaint. COPPA restricts how online platforms collect and use personal data from children under 13. The state first filed suit against Meta in 2024, claiming the company misled parents about the dangers of its social media platforms in violation of state law [4]. These are requested remedies, and the court has not yet granted them.
Meta's Position and Existing Safety Tools
Meta says it has already built meaningful protections for younger users, including Teen Accounts across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. The company says users under 18 face automatic restrictions on contact and content, and users under 16 need parental permission to loosen default settings, according to Meta. Parents can also cap a teenager's Instagram use at 15 minutes per day and review messaging activity.
According to Meta-reported data, 97% of Instagram users aged 13 to 15 remained within the platform's default restrictions; that figure has not been independently verified. Meta argues the lawsuits misrepresent its safety efforts and maintains, as a company position, that research on social media's effects on teen mental health is not conclusive.
In responding publicly to Florida's motion, Meta pointed to other major platforms, including YouTube and TikTok, and argued that policymakers should pursue industry-wide protections rather than focusing exclusively on its services [5]. The company has said it will continue to defend its practices in court. Meta's total payout in the multi-state settlement represents about three to four months of profit and about one month of revenue for the company, according to court filings [6].
Broader National Fight and Potential Implications
Florida's case is part of a national wave of lawsuits by state attorneys general, families, and young users alleging that social media platforms encourage compulsive use or expose minors to harmful content, according to court filings and public statements. The central legal question is whether courts can require specific changes to commercial platform design rather than limiting relief to monetary penalties.
The multi-state settlement reached in August 2026 would have required Meta to implement a default two-hour daily time limit for teens under 18, cumulative across both Instagram and Facebook, that only a parent could lift. The agreement also included a block on app access between midnight and 6 a.m. and muted notifications during school hours [7].
A court order compelling redesign, if granted, could set precedent for age verification, default account settings, recommendation systems, and notification practices across the platform industry. For parents and teenagers, a ruling in Florida's favor could change what Instagram and Facebook look and feel like for anyone under 18. Meanwhile, federal courts are weighing related questions about whether state laws can regulate how social media companies handle content and users, with the U.S. Supreme Court having agreed to hear challenges to Texas and Florida laws passed in 2021 that restrict social media companies' ability to censor content posted on their platforms [8].
References
- Florida rejects $17 billion Meta settlement that 47 states approved. https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/florida-rejects-17-billion-meta-settlement?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators
- Florida Seeks Meta ID Checks For All Users. https://reclaimthenet.org/florida-seeks-meta-age-checks-for-all-users
- James Uthmeier asks court to force tougher Meta terms | Miami Herald. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article317533278.html
- Florida seeks immediate limits on teens' use of Meta. https://courthousenews.com/florida-seeks-immediate-limits-on-teens-use-of-meta/
- Florida Seeks Meta Teen Restrictions on Facebook and Instagram. https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2026/10/florida-asks-court-to-force-meta-to-change-facebook-and-instagram-for-teens/
- Florida asks court to force Meta to change Facebook, Instagram for.... https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/oct/07/florida-asks-court-to-force-meta-to-change-faceboo/
- Changes to Facebook and Instagram are key part of.... https://theconversation.com/changes-to-facebook-and-instagram-are-key-part-of-metas-17b-settlement-with-the-states-over-harm-to-teens-290582
- US Supreme Court to Weigh in on State Laws to - ChildrensHealthDefense.org by ChildrensHealthDefense.org
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