Meta's Q3 earnings show a $9.89 billion charge tied to child safety settlement

Meta's third-quarter earnings report disclosed that it paid $9.89 billion toward a child safety settlement with US attorneys general. The company said its operating income would have reached $22.89 billion without that expense. The settlement stems from a August agreement in which Meta agreed to pay $17.1 billion over a nationwide lawsuit alleging its platforms were designed to be addictive to children. Part of that total is contingent, with $5.3 billion dependent on YouTube and TikTok adopting stricter kid-safety settings, which Meta also agreed to pursue.