What We Need to Know: Tupac Verdict, Meta’s $17B Deal & Rising Gas Prices

Sybil Wilkes is back with What We Need To Know, delivering the stories that matter most to our community. From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the birth of a baseball icon, here is what she wants us to carry into the week.

Meta Faces Historic $17 Billion Settlement Over Youth Safety

Meta reached a landmark $17 billion settlement with California and 46 other states last week, resolving a major lawsuit over youth social media safety and addiction. The deal sends roughly $1.5 billion straight to California for student mental health prevention programs. Meta must also make real changes: hard daily usage limits, fewer notifications, and the end of personalized algorithmic feeds for users under 18 on Instagram and Facebook. For parents watching how these platforms shape our young people, this is a significant win worth paying attention to.

RELATED STORY: Meta & YouTube Found Negligent By Jury In Social Media Addiction Trial